Aela the Huntress (Skyrim)

Aela the Huntress
Basic Info
Race	Nord Werewolf
Gender	Female
Level	PC×1 (8–50)
Class	Thief
Faction	The Companions The Circle
Rank	Expert
Services	Archery training Follower Spouse Gives lycanthropy Joining the Blades
Essential	Before The Companions quest line is completed
Respawn	No
Ref ID	0001A697
Base ID	0001A696

For other uses, see Aela the Huntress.

"Something has shifted in the moons, brother."

―Aela the Huntress

Aela the Huntress is a Nord werewolf, thief and member of The Companions. She is one of five members of The Circle. Residing in Jorrvaskr with the other Companions, Aela offers lycanthropy deep into the faction's questline. Additionally, she is an expert level Archery trainer, as well as a candidate for marriage and a follower after The Companions' main questline.

Background

When asked, Aela explains her reasoning behind joining The Companions:

"My mother was a Companion. And her mother. And all the women in my family, back to Hrotti Blackblade. I stayed with my father in the woods until I was old enough for my Trial. We hunted everything there was to hunt... Good training. Ma didn't live long enough to see me join, but I fight to honor her and all my Shield-Sisters through time."

Relationships

It is rumored among the Companions that she and Skjor have a very intimate relationship with one another; Njada Stonearm's conversations with Aela reveals this. However, Aela hastily and vehemently denies the relationship, to the point of even threatening Njada if she pays attention to them.

Other ambient dialogue between her and Skjor reveals that the two go out at night to hunt in beast form. This is discouraged among the Companions and is the source of their secrecy as well as the rumors about them. She is furious upon finding Skjor's body when the Dragonborn attacks the Silver Hand in Gallows Rock and seeks to avenge his death. It is never confirmed that she and Skjor were romantically involved.

Interactions

It is possible to encounter Aela before knowledge of The Companions is acquired. She may be found fighting a giant at Pelagia Farm on the outskirts of Whiterun, along with Ria and Farkas, usually if approaching from the Honningbrew Meadery after leaving Riverwood. She approves or disapproves of the action taken by the Dragonborn in helping to kill the giant, depending on the amount of assistance given in defeating it; only one successful strike on the giant by the Dragonborn is needed to gain her favor. Regardless, she suggests visiting Jorrvaskr and speaking to Kodlak Whitemane about joining The Companions before she, Ria, and Farkas make their own way back to Whiterun and Jorrvaskr on foot.

Archery training

After the Dragonborn becomes a full member of The Companions, Aela offers Archery training for a fee. She is an Expert trainer and can train up to Archery level 75. She will still offer training if married.

Lycanthropy

Aela, member of The Companions.

In order to complete The Companions quest line, the Dragonborn must be initiated into The Circle by becoming a Werewolf. Aela willingly donates blood while in her Beast Form, which must be drunk. During the transformation, the Dragonborn has a few minutes to run around Whiterun. Both guards and civilians will be hostile, but there are no consequences for attacking anyone, though it would be wise to not kill anyone if they are needed for quests or other activities. After the transformation, the Dragonborn awakens outside of Whiterun, with Aela standing over them.

She offers her congratulations, noting how difficult the Dragonborn was to control upon them first becoming their Beast Form and divulges information about the Circle's rivalry with the Silver Hand, a fierce group of werewolf hunters. Together with Aela, a nearby Silver Hand encampment located at Gallows Rock is raided. The raid does not go as planned, however, as Skjor is slaughtered prior to the raid and found dead in the final chamber with the Silver Hand's commander, Krev the Skinner. Aela vows to slay whoever killed him. From that point, the Dragonborn can receive special assignments from Aela, who sends them on a series of quests intended to stifle the dramatically escalating feud.

After the Silver Hand assassinates Kodlak Whitemane in an ambush on Jorrvaskr that results in them also stealing the pieces of Wuuthrad, the Companions agree that the Silver Hand must be eradicated, with Vilkas and the Dragonborn traveling to Driftshade Refuge to eliminate the Silver Hand completely and recover the shards of Wuuthrad. In an effort to cleanse Kodlak's spirit of the beast curse following his funeral at the Skyforge, Aela accompanies Vilkas, Farkas, and the Dragonborn to Ysgramor's Tomb, where she helps redeem Kodlak's spirit. A promotion to Harbinger is given to the Dragonborn after the completion of this quest.

Returning Lycanthropy

In Dawnguard, Aela is able to give lycanthropy again, if the Dragonborn decides to cure it in favor of vampirism. Points expended toward the Werewolf skill tree cannot be undone or moved to other skill trees, which includes the Vampire Lord skill tree. She will only do this once, however.

After destroying the Silver Hand

Aela, praying at the altar of Hircine.

After destroying the Silver Hand, she becomes a follower and a candidate for marriage while wearing an Amulet of Mara in her presence. She then offers the repeatable "Animal Extermination" missions, as well as the ability to collect the mythic Totems of Hircine, but only if the player character is still a Werewolf and had not cured themselves during "Glory of the Dead" or "Purity" when helping cure Vilkas or Farkas of their own lycanthropy.

Blades

After escorting Delphine and Esbern to Sky Haven Temple, Aela can be recruited into the Blades. Along with two others, she roots out and fights dragons. After becoming a Blade, Aela's default armor changes to Blades Armor and her residence shifts from Jorrvaskr to Sky Haven Temple.

Follower

Aela fires an arrow from her bow.

As a follower, Aela tolerates stealing and murdering innocents. When trespassing, she says that the Dragonborn "should not be in here," but otherwise does not turn hostile.

Skills

Aela is a specialist and highly skilled in Archery. Her primary skills are Light Armor and Sneak. Her secondary skills are One-Handed and Speech. It should be noted that she is not good with a shield, and will rarely use one if it is in her inventory.

Equipment

Aela is equipped with the following items when she first becomes a follower:

• Skyforge Steel Dagger
• Hunting Bow (not shown in some cases)
• Whiterun Gate Key
• Belted Tunic (not shown in some cases)
• Aela's Shield (not shown in some cases)
• Torch
• 800

Aela's Stats
Level	8–50
Health	109–509
Magicka	50
Stamina	96–426
Default Armor Rating	57
Light Armor	31–100
Heavy Armor	15
Sneak	26–97
One-Handed	28–75
Two-Handed	25
Archery	29–100
Block	24–48
Alteration	15
Conjuration	15
Destruction	15
Restoration	15
Illusion	15
Enchanting	15
Speech	28–75
Lockpicking	15
Alchemy	15
Smithing	20
Pickpocket	15

Weapons

Aela will accept and equip any melee weapon and shield that is better than her default equipment. She is most skilled with bows and one-handed weapons. Aela can use staves and may pick them up from corpses. At higher levels, she replaces her Hunting Bow with an Imperial Bow.

Armor

Aela's default armor is Ancient Nord Armor. If married, a copy can be purchased from her shop. Aela will equip any armor better than her default set. Just like other followers, Aela will consider armor as "better" if its base value is higher. Also like other followers, Aela will not equip upgraded versions of her default armor, regardless of statistics or enchantments.

Even though her default armor is Heavy Armor, she is unskilled in Heavy Armor usage and receives minimal protection from it. She is highly skilled in Light Armor, and benefits significantly from Light Armor.

Clothing

Aela can be forced to wear clothes, although the process must be repeated every time a new area is entered. First, armor must be forced into her shop inventory by giving her a better suit. Proceed to buy both sets of the Ancient Nord Armor, to finally replace the armor that was given to her at first by clothes.

Dismissing

When Aela is dismissed as a follower, she returns to Jorrvaskr by default. If she has been asked to move into a home through marriage, she returns there instead. If she has been recruited for The Blades, she returns to Sky Haven Temple. When Aela has returned to her home, she unequips any weapon and armor she has received, keeping them in her inventory instead. Her inventory must be altered to re-equip the items.

Quests

• The Silver Hand
• Retrieval
• Striking the Heart
• Totems of Hircine
• Animal Extermination
• Stealing Plans

Dialogue

"If you wish to hunt with me, your feet need to be quick, and your eyes quicker."

Where do you stand on the war? "Kodlak says not to worry about it. I worry that a bunch of snowberries are out there earning glory while we stay out of it. But I'll follow the old man's lead. As ever."

Why did you join the Companions? "My mother was a Companion. And her mother. And all the women in my family, back to Hrotti Blackblade. I stayed with my father in the woods until I was old enough for my Trial. We hunted everything there was to hunt. Good training. Ma didn't live long enough to see me join, but I fight to honor her and all my Shield-Sisters through time."

Who are the Companions? "An outsider, eh? Never heard of the Companions? An order of warriors. We are brothers and sisters in honor. And we show up to solve problems if the coin is good enough."

Can I join the Companions? "We don't just take any milk drinker who stumbles in. Talk to Kodlak if you think you have what it takes to be a Companion."

Show: Take Up Arms

Inside Jorrvaskr: "Ysgramor himself wouldn't have the patience to deal with all the rabble around here." I have your shield. "Ah, good. I've been waiting for this. Are you new here?" After speaking to Skjor: "Do you think you could handle Vilkas in a real fight?" I don't care for boasting. "Ah, a man of action." I would kill him before he drew his sword. "Woah, ease up there. We're rough, but there's no need to kill a Shield-Brother over a dispute. I like your fire, though. You'll make a fierce Companion. Let us hunt together sometime." "Here, let's have Farkas show you where you'll be resting your head." After joining the Companions: "Blood running hot?" What does it mean to be a Companion? "It means resting your haunches in Whiterun more than I'd care to, for one. But when it's time to draw blood, there's no one in Skyrim I'd rather have at my back. It means waking up every day knowing that you could die, and having to earn your life by clawing for every breath. I don't know how these cozy lords manage to drag themselves out of bed every day. Why bother if you're not living?"

Show: Animal Extermination, Jarl

"I've heard you may actually be stronger than you look. Perhaps we can hunt together someday." I'm looking for work. "The Jarl of the Reach has asked for our help." "The Jarl of Haafingar has asked for our help." "The Jarl of Hjaalmarch has asked for our help." "The Jarl of Falkreath has asked for our help." "The Jarl of Whiterun has asked for our help." "The Jarl of the Pale has asked for our help." "The Jarl of the Rift has asked for our help." "The Jarl of Eastmarch has asked for our help." "The Jarl of Winterhold has asked for our help." "One of the Jarls has asked for our help." "It seems that predators have taken up residence and have been attacking farmers and travelers. Someone's got to head out there and take care of the beasts." I'll take care of it. "Be cautious. Beasts are not nearly as predictable as men. Give the thing a quick death." "Good. I knew that we could count on you. It's simply a beast, but be cautious. The beasts of Skyrim are made of sterner stuff than most." "I knew we could count on you. Get it taken care of right away. Nobody wants an animal left roaming around in their place." I'd rather not take that job. "You're not afraid, are you? Of animals? Come back when you find your spine." "Unfortunate, but someone else will take care of it." "I see. Well, should you change your mind, the contract will be available for a while." After clearing the location: "Are you on the hunt?" I've cleared the beast's lair. "Good work. The mindless cretins didn't stand a chance." "Not bad, not bad. The intensity of the hunt is special, isn't it?" "Good to hear. Have your share of the pay."

Show: Animal Extermination, citizen

I'm looking for work "A citizen of the Reach has asked for our help." "A citizen of Haafingar has asked for our help." "A citizen of Hjaalmarch has asked for our help." "A citizen of Falkreath has asked for our help." "A citizen of Whiterun has asked for our help." "A citizen of the Pale has asked for our help." "A citizen of the Rift has asked for our help." "A citizen of Eastmarch has asked for our help." "A citizen of Winterhold has asked for our help." "A citizen of Skyrim has asked for our help." "It seems that a predator has invaded their home, and someone needs to clear the beast out." I'll take that job. "Be cautious. Beasts are not nearly as predictable as men. Give the thing a quick death." "Good. I knew that we could count on you. It's simply a beast, but be cautious. The beasts of Skyrim are made of sterner stuff than most." "I knew we could count on you. Get it taken care of right away. Nobody wants an animal left roaming around in their place." I'd rather not take that job. "You're not afraid, are you? Of animals? Come back when you find your spine." "Unfortunate, but someone else will take care of it." "I see. Well, should you change your mind, the contract will be available for a while." Upon completing the quest: The Troll (Beast) is dead. "Good work. A simple job, but it keeps the coin rolling in. Here's your share." "I'm sure that the owner of that place is relieved. They certainly came through with the coin." "Well done. Here's your gold."

Show: The Silver Hand

Near Gallows Rock: "Are you awake? I was starting to think you might never come back." "Yours was not an easy transformation. But you're still alive, so congratulations. We even have a celebration planned for you. There's a pack of werewolf hunters camped nearby, at Gallows Rock. The Silver Hand. I think you've met them before. We're going to slaughter them. All of them. Lead on. Skjor's already scouting ahead." What just happened? "You were born into the pack, brother. I almost envy you. That first time is always the most... intense. You gave us even more trouble than Farkas did at his first turning." Am I a werewolf now? "You have the blood of the wolf in you. You'll need to build up your strength before you can call on it again, though. Just be careful where you do it. Some cowards in this land can't stand the sight of glory before them." What does it mean to be a werewolf? "Nothing, until you choose to use it. Then, well... you got a taste. Stronger, faster. It doesn't last long, though. The blood of your foes can sustain you. If you're willing to feed. The more we feed, the greater our prowess will grow. We could perhaps discover even more gifts of Hircine." Is there a cure? "Cure? Hah. You're sounding like the old man. I... shouldn't say that. I love Kodlak. I respect and follow him. But he's wrong on this. It's no curse. We're made into the greatest hunters in the land. If he's worried about some mead-swilling afterlife in Sovngarde, he's free to pursue it. I'll take the glories of the hunt right here." Where are we going? "The Silver Hand have taken over the old fort at Gallows Rock. They always make such easy prey." Inside Gallows Rock: "Look at this. Cowards must have locked the place down after Skjor charged in. You can taste the fear." "Skjor's somewhere ahead. We need to find him." What is this place? "Old fort. Abandoned for years. They're like jackals, making their home anywhere they can find." While progressing through the fort: "There's a dead one, isn't there. Thought so. Nobody we knew, by the smell. Some can't seperate the animal from themselves. Go feral. This poor sod could have been anyone. We should keep moving." "Nothing we can do for these ones now. Don't even want to know what those cretins did to them before they died." "We're getting close now. Be careful. Their leader is a tricky one. They call him "The Skinner." I don't think I need to tell you why." After finding Skjor dead: "The bastards... somehow they managed to kill Skjor. He was one of the strongest we had, but numbers can overwhelm. He should not have come without a Shield-Brother. Get out of here. I'm going to make sure we got the last of them, and see if there's any information to be gotten from the bodies. You and I have work to do. The Silver Hand will tremble at our sight."

Show: Stealing Plans

In Jorrvaskr: "Have you been bringing the battle to the Silver Hand, friend? I wish I could be there with you. Soon enough." What's our first target? "Good that you're so eager. I've caught wind that one of the brighter Silver Hand has been sniffing around Eastmarch. If you can sneak into their camp and steal his plans, we'll have the advantage." After obtaining the Silver Hand Stratagem: "I hope the hunting goes well, brother. We've got the cowards on their heels now." I've got the plans. "Perfect. Hopefully this will let us know more about their movement. I think we've got them on the run!"

Show: Striking the Heart

In Jorrvaskr: "Blood running hot?" What's the next target? "I've been hearing rumors of Silver Hand activity. A group of them has holed up in Whiterun. Run fast, my friend." After killing the Silver Hand leader: "Have you been bringing the battle to the Silver Hand, friend? I wish I could be there with you. Soon enough." I took care of that group of Silver Hand. "Excellent. Looks like you've really driven them into hiding. Keep this up. We'll wipe them out, yet." I'm looking for work. "And there is more work to be done, but I fear that Kodlak's gotten wind of our recent efforts. He's asked to see you. My advice? Always be honest with the old man, but don't tell him anything he doesn't need to know."

Show: Glory of the Dead

Inside Ysgramor's Tomb: "Did I hear right? Did he say you were to lead the Companions?" He did indeed. "You've earned the right. Your strength and honor are apparent to all." Does this upset you? "I'm just surprised. But your strength and honor are apparent to all." "And it's my honor to be the first to address you as Harbinger. Let's go tell the others." If approached again: "Do you have guidance for me, Harbinger?" Are you going back to Jorrvaskr? "Eventually. But this... this is the Tomb of Ysgramor. I think I'm just going to... commune for a bit. This place is worthy of some time. You go on ahead. I'll see you back there." Kodlak said I should lead the Companions now. "I'll be honest, I wouldn't have expected it. But that may just be because I remember when you were just a whelp who was begging to join. The old man trusted you, so I'll trust you." I cured Kodlak. "And that's exactly what the old man wanted. I'm glad we could give it to him."

Show: Totems of Hircine

Inside Jorrvaskr: "Do you have guidance for me, Harbinger?" Is there any work to be done? "Harbinger, I'd be honored if you joined me in my search. I had once heard Skjor and Kodlak talking about the Totems of Hircine. Simple-looking objects that could channel the powers of the werewolf in new directions. Once Kodlak began looking for his cure, I'd wager Skjor didn't bring it up again. But I was going through his things and found a book I had never seen before. All about the Totems. I've been talking to my sources around the holds, and think I may have heard where one of them lives. Want to come along?" Let's go. "We hunt together." You should probably handle this yourself. "And here I figured you as one who enjoyed our special gifts. I guess I was wrong." During the journey: "Let's find that Totem, Shield-Brother (Or "Shield-Sister")." "The spirit of Skjor is with us on this errand. I feel him." "Hircine will bless us for finding his Totem." For the second Totem: "Do you have guidance for me, Harbinger?" Is there any work to be done? "Harbinger, I'd be honored if you joined me in my search. I think I've located another one of the Totems. Come with me, and we'll write ourselves into their history. Want to come along?" Let's go. "We hunt together." You should probably handle this yourself. "And here I figured you as one who enjoyed our special gifts. I guess I was wrong." For the third Totem: "Do you have guidance for me, Harbinger?" Is there any work to be done? ""Harbinger, I'd be honored if you joined me in my search. I've finally tracked down the last of the Totems, I think. The information wasn't easy to come by, but everyone has a price. And a pain threshold. Want to come along?" Let's go. "We hunt together." You should probably handle this yourself. "And here I figured you as one who enjoyed our special gifts. I guess I was wrong." After finding a Totem: "Do you have it?" Is this what we're looking for? "That definitely matches the description of the totem from Skjor's old book. Let's get it to the Underforge."

Conversations

Take Up Arms

Skjor: "I told you, this is the whelp that Vilkas mentioned." Aela: "Ah, yes. I heard you gave him quite a thrashing." Skjor: "Don't let Vilkas catch you saying that."

After talking to Aela:

Skjor: "Farkas!" Farkas: "Did you call me?" Aela: "Of course we did, icebrain. Show this newblood where the rest of the whelps sleep." Farkas: "New blood? Oh, hello. I'm Farkas. Come, follow me."

Kodlak's Burial

Eorlund: "Who will start?" Aela: "I'll do it. Before the ancient flame... We grieve." Eorlund: "We grieve." Farkas: "We grieve." Vilkas: "We grieve." Eorlund: "At this loss... We weep." Aela: "We weep." Farkas: "We weep." Vilkas: "We weep." Vilkas: "For the fallen... We shout." Aela: "We shout." Eorlund: "We shout." Farkas: "We shout." Farkas: "And for ourselves... We take our leave." Eorlund: "We take our leave." Aela: "We take our leave." Vilkas: "We take our leave." Aela: "His spirit is departed. Members of the Circle, let us withdraw to the Underforge, to grieve our last together."

Glory of the Dead

Vilkas: "The old man had one wish before he died. And he didn't get it. It's as simple as that." Aela: "Being moon-born is not so much of a curse as you might think, Vilkas." Vilkas: "That's fine for you. But he wanted to be clean. He wanted to meet Ysgramor and know the glories of Sovngarde. But all that was taken from him." Aela: "And you avenged him." Farkas: "Kodlak did not care for vengeance." Vilkas: "No, Farkas, he didn't. And that's not what this is about. We should be honoring Kodlak, no matter our own thoughts on the blood." Aela: "You're right. It's what he wanted, and he deserved to have it." Vilkas: "Kodlak used to speak of a way to cleanse his soul, even in death. You know the legends of the Tomb of Ysgramor." Aela: "There the souls of Harbingers will heed the call of northern steel. We can't even enter the tomb without Wuuthrad, and it's in pieces, like it has been for a thousand years." Eorlund: "And dragons were just stories. And the elves once ruled Skyrim. Just because something is, doesn't mean it must be. The blade is a weapon. A tool. Tools are meant to be broken. And repaired." Vilkas: "Is that? Did you repair the blade?" Eorlund: "This is the first time I've had all the pieces, thanks to our Shield-Brother here. "The flames of a hero can reforge the shattered." The flames of Kodlak shall fuel the rebirth of Wuuthrad. And now it will take you to meet him once more. As the one who bore the fragments, I think you (Referring to the Dragonborn) should be the one to carry Wuuthrad into battle. The rest of you, prepare to journey to the Tomb of Ysgramor. For Kodlak."

Aela's leisure time

Aela: "You wanted to see me?" Kodlak: "I worry that you've been spending too many nights out." Aela: "Where I go is my business. If you have a concern about my honor, bring it before the Circle." Kodlak: "You forget yourself, young one." Aela: "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap. Just... these hunters. We're all on edge." Kodlak: "That's why it's best to not mistake foolhardiness for bravery."

Glorious hunt

Kodlak: "How goes the hunt?" Aela: "Skjor's heard rumors of a bear the size of a mammoth in Hammerfell. We're going to seek it out." Kodlak: "What glorious prey. Come back alive, and with stories to tell!" Aela: "Always."

Foolish younglings

Skjor: "All these younglings scampering around." Aela: "Worried one of them is going to take your place?" Skjor: "Some of them might try. But that's not what I'm worried about." Aela: "What then?" Skjor: "That they might get themselves killed." Aela: "By you?" Skjor: "They should be so lucky."

Tonight's hunt

Skjor: "Are you prepared for tonight's hunt?" Aela: "I've been thinking we need to be more... discreet." Skjor: "There's nothing wrong with what we're doing." Aela: "You know the old man doesn't like it. Let's just not be too obvious."

Whispers of intimacy

Njada: "I've heard some rumors... about you and Skjor." Aela: "And if you want to keep having ears, you'll pretend you didn't." Njada: "Is it not allowed?" Aela: "It's not exactly forbidden, but even so... it's not true. So that's that."

Steadfast defense

Aela: "How do you manage to hold your ground like that?" Njada: "You have to remember, it's not about strength. It's about leverage." Aela: "But strength doesn't hurt." Njada: "Well, no. I'm just saying there's more to defense than muscle."

Quotes

• "Blood running hot?"
• "Are you on a hunt?"
• "Happy hunting."
• "These two aren't a problem anymore." – During "Blood's Honor"
• "For Kodlak!" – During "Glory of the Dead"

Trivia

Aela in battle.

• Aela, Legate Rikke, and several other female characters are voiced by Claudia Christian.
• As a follower, when requested to do so, she will not attempt to steal. Likewise, this is also the case when ordered to attack non-aggressive characters, stating, "I don't do that."
• She is the only member of the Circle who refuses to be cured of Lycanthropy after "Glory of the Dead", choosing instead to join the Dragonborn on hunting down the three Totems of Hircine to bolster their own Werewolf powers.
  • If the Dragonborn chooses to cure themselves of lycanthropy, and Farkas and Vilkas are also cured, Aela will be the last werewolf among the Companions.
• Aela appears as a spouse on the trailer of Hearthfire.
• If the Dragonborn becomes a vampire, she will occasionally say "Something has shifted in the moons, Brother/Sister." This may persist even after being turned back into a werewolf.
• When getting the final leg of the "Totems of Hircine" questline, she states that everybody can be bought and that everybody also has a "pain threshold," indicating that she may have tortured someone to get the location of the final Totem.

Bugs

This section contains bugs related to Aela the Huntress (Skyrim). Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following: Please reload an old save to confirm if the bug is still happening. If the bug is still occurring, please post the bug report with the appropriate system template  360  /  XB1  ,  PS3  /  PS4  ,  PC  /  MAC  ,  NX  /  PS5  ,  XS  , depending on which platform(s) the bug has been encountered on. Be descriptive when listing the bug and fixes, but avoid having conversations in the description and/or using first-person anecdotes: such discussions belong on the appropriate forum board.

Click to see the list of bugs encountered

Aela may disappear randomly. She will not return by waiting or fast traveling to another location. Activating the miscellaneous quest "Speak to a leader of the Companions." will show a quest marker pointing to Aela.  PC (Fix)   Typing: "prid 0001A697" and then "moveto player" in the console. The quest indicator may not point to the correct location when her shield needs to be returned. She is found in her room at the end on the left and behind the left door at Jorrvaskr. During the quest "Glory of the Dead," Aela may get stuck on the set of stairs after the wolf spirit of Kodlak is fought. Solution: Either asking her to follow upon becoming Harbinger or wearing an Amulet of Mara and propose to her. After turning in each totem for the "Totems of Hircine" quest, Aela prays at the statues. After turning in the final totem, she returns to pray if asked to follow. After placing the totem on the altar, using the wait function for 24 hours makes Aela walk out of The Underforge. Waiting another few minutes should get her to go back to Jorrvaskr, ready for rehiring. Solution: Dismissing her also works, as she then should walk out of the Underforge. Outside the Underforge, the Dragonborn needs to immediately ask her to join them again and then, via the "I need you to do something" command, and tell her to move somewhere. Drawing and sheathing a weapon, then exiting the command mode should get Aela to start walking again to the Underforge. Talking to her before she enters and asking her to follow the Dragonborn again should make her behave normally again. All followers, Aela included, occasionally switch back to their default bow. Even if removed from the inventory via console commands, it respawns. When Aela is married, the "Can you prepare me some food?" conversation option can disappear. Aela continuously attempts to initiate dialogue. Solution: Recruiting her, going outside, dismissing her, waiting one hour, and then recruiting her again. Solution: Paying off bounties in the holds fixes this. Aela may randomly start to run in place while a follower, parting ways does not solve this. She simply slides around and gets stuck in another spot. Solution: Using the Unrelenting Force shout on her. She then turns hostile, but becomes unstuck. Blocking while holding a bow may resolve this issue. As a follower, even when given gauntlets superior to her own in base value, Aela has been found to keep using her starter gauntlets instead. She may start sliding across the ground, flying and sinking. Her shield can accidentally be acquired if she is repeatedly bought and sold from as a spouse. She may be able to purchase loot from her spouse without depleting her financial reserves. If she is a follower and another Companions quest is taken, she waits back at Jorrvaskr and cannot rejoin the party until the quest is completed. If the quest is one that is impossible to complete (e.g. killing a dragon that is already dead), she may be permanently gone as a follower. When walking into a wedding with Aela, Vilkas may be waiting at the altar instead. After killing the Silver Hand forces at Gallows Rock and trying to finish the quest by talking to Aela, the only dialogue option will be the one asking for archery training, and that dialogue will just repeat, without the training window showing up, leaving the quest unable to be completed, the archery training and marriage impossible. During "Glory of the Dead," Aela disappears if the cave is cleared before she arrives. Later, a courier brings information regarding her death. After "Totems of Hircine," if she is spoken to as she exits the Underforge, she exits while still talking. Later, a courier brings information regarding her death. When bringing Aela her shield from the Skyforge, she can be found outside Dragonsreach. Giving her the shield will not finish the quest. If Aela's head is cut off by the Dragonborn after gaining her as a follower, there is a rare chance that she will still be alive but be unable to talk to. When married, when asked what she has for sale, her dialogue does not play, but player still can buy from her. Aela as a wife can cook as much food as desired, regardless what day it is or how many times asked. If Dawnguard is installed, Aela may allow the Dragonborn to regain lycanthropy an unlimited amount of times, provided the Dragonborn has cured themselves.

Appearances

• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
  • The Elder Scrolls V: Dawnguard
• The Elder Scrolls: Legends (Heroes of Skyrim)