So I killed Grelod the Kind, and I would like to adopt Runa. However, Constance Michael won't stop running around saying things like, "No more, I yield, I yield!" What do I do?
So I killed Grelod the Kind, and I would like to adopt Runa. However, Constance Michael won't stop running around saying things like, "No more, I yield, I yield!" What do I do?
Quote: Did you speak to Aventus Aretino?
I second this, I believe you need to complete Innocence Lost before you can adopt from the orphanage.
Folks, just to clear this up, because I've seen it a lot lately: adopting children is a feature available through the Hearthfire DLC or the editions of the game that include it. Short of mods, no Hearthfire installed means no adoptions.
As for those of you who do have Hearthfire installed and haven't gotten the letter after time has passed following the end of the "Innocence Lost" quest, it may help if you go to one self-contained worldspace in the game (my favorite is the Great Porch at Dragonsreach) and wait for at least 72 hours in-game time, using the "wait" command, without leaving that one location. Then leave and see if the issue's cleared up.
I realize that this may not be made clear when people tell you to let time pass (and if you're saving and loading your game with some real-world time in between you may just forget momentarily what you're supposed to be doing), but: these sorts of issues sometimes seem not to resolve themselves if you "wait for a week" in the sense of going around and doing other things within the game for an in-game week, rather than waiting in another worldspace as described above with the "wait" command, and without leaving that location during that "wait" time... and the reason may be, and I'm not pointing fingers here, that you're not realizing or not thinking about it when you accidentally enter the location you're supposed to be leaving alone so that the game will update in response to what you've done. You may not even realize you're returning to the location you're supposed to be avoiding, because the game may not always make it obvious to you.
So you'll want to, at least once, go to one self-contained "worldspace" location (again, the Great Porch at Dragonsreach in Whiterun will do nicely), wait 72 in-game hours, using the wait command, without leaving that one location, then leave and try to do whatever you're doing, even if it's just getting a courier to run up to you. And if you're really desperate, you can do the same thing but wait (I believe) 35 whole days in-game in that one location, at which point every other location you've ever visited will be reset, at least to the extent the game does such a thing (putting new draugr in crypts you've cleared out, refilling and re-locking treasure chests, etc.), which the game does as normal behavior when you don't visit any one location for such a long time in-game. That may clear things up if 72 hours' wait doesn't, though mainly, back in the PS3 days, it was just used as a method to slightly reduce save bloat that would eventually impact the game's performance.
I'm having this exact same problem.. I've tried everything, and nothing has worked.
I didn’t get the letter but when I walked up to Constance a few days later and spoke to her the option to adopt was there.
You need hearthfire, and to complete Innocence Lost, then wait for a courier, then read the letter then you can adopt if she agrees with your living situation. You don't need the letter or to read it but it helps prevent bugs.
yes go 2 windhelm, go to artieno residence and aventus'll ask you 2 kill grelod. do that, return to aventus and then he'll thank you, and you'll get the letter, and then go to the orphanage in riften