Housecarls & Followers

[atterdag]

Is it possible to have a housecarl; whos stays at home looking after your house and adopted kids, while you go adventuring with a follower. Hate to leave the kids at home alone.

[Necromia]

Yes

[DPMR]

Yes. I don't even need to explain it your follower will ask you.

[atterdag]

Originally posted by DPMR:

Yes. I don't even need to explain it your follower will ask you.

Thanks.
If so then if you have multiple residences, can you have housecarls in all?

[DPMR]

Yes. I think they are called Stewarts when you hire them. If you give them money they will keep the house stocked as well.

[Docsprock]

A housecarl is assigned to you by the Jarl when you become Thane of a Hold and you own a house in the hold. If you dismiss them, they will stay at that home indefinitely.

If you own a Hearthfire home, (Falkreath, Hjaalmarch, the Pale), you may additionally, hire a follower to become Steward of that home. You would then have a Steward and a housecarl at that home.

It is possible to hire a housecarl to become a Steward. i.e. Lydia could become Steward of Winstead Manor. Rayya, the housecarl of Lakeview Manor could become Steward of Lakeview Manor.

Since Hearthfire homes are subject to attacks by bandits/creatures, I always leave housecarls as housecarls, and find other followers to be Stewards. This gives a minimum of two defenders at all times in those homes. (You COULD use housecarls from other holds as Stewards, but that leaves those other homes defenseless).

[atterdag]

Thanks again for a very comprehensive answer.
Got what I needed.

[pjennospam]

the housecarl and housebard make better parents than a dead adventurer

[Belanos]

Originally posted by DPMR:

Yes. I think they are called Stewarts when you hire them. If you give them money they will keep the house stocked as well.

That's only for the Hearthfire homes. With regular residences, the housecarl just hangs out in the home not doing much of anything.

[capgun]

You take each of your housecarls to your BUILT houses (in hearthfire) and ask them to become stewards.

[Sandormen]

I haven't played vanilla in ages, but there are also mods that improve the whole follower-business. 'Tis nice to be Dragonborn Thane with a full posse. Standing there looting carcasses as your small army act vengeance upon them puny enemies daring to attack one of the Jarls chosen ones.

[lupus_hegemonia]

Obviously, the housecarls are remaining to your houses. For example, Lydia stays to your Whiterun's house (or elsewhere, if you have the "My home is your home" mod).

Generally, after 31st level or so, the best companions are stand-alone ones, not the vanilla ones (except SERANA the Princess Vampire, perhaps). So, I'm usually taking all the vanilla followers to my house (a stand-alone mod estate, outside Whiterun's stables) and I'm telling them "This is your new home" and all of them remaining there and living there - to have them handy to recruit them for "Blades" or other (mods) Guilds.

[pedantic_roc]

Originally posted by Docsprock:

<snip> ..
Since Hearthfire homes are subject to attacks by bandits/creatures... <snip>

Not if you only build the first six square homestead. You can still build stable, garden etc..

[lupus_hegemonia]

I don't need to build a house any more. I used to, but not now.
There are a couple AMAZING stand-alone estates, which they cover A LOT your needs.

[Docsprock]

Originally posted by pedantic_roc:

Originally posted by Docsprock:

<snip> ..
Since Hearthfire homes are subject to attacks by bandits/creatures... <snip>

Not if you only build the first six square homestead. You can still build stable, garden etc..

True, I was of course referring to a completed homestead. ;)

Originally posted by Capgun:

You take each of your housecarls to your BUILT houses (in hearthfire) and ask them to become stewards.

Why would you want to make housecarls into Stewards? There are so many other npcs that can become Steward. If you take your housecarl Iona from Riften, and make her Steward of Lakeview Manor, you will have no housecarl for Honeyside.

You certainly may of course, if that is what you wish, but the number of prospective Stewards is too high to waste on a housecarl.

Nearly all of the Companions and the Dawnguard are available as Stewards, plus many more individual agents.