Adopting a Child in Skyrim: A Beginner’s Guide
How to Adopt a Child in Skyrim
Adopting a child in Skyrim can be a bit of a process, but with these steps, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a proud parent.
Prerequisites
Before adopting a child, you need to have the Home Expansion installed and a suitable plot of land for building a family home. You can obtain the Home Expansion by completing the main quest for the Jarl of Whiterun and purchasing the expansion.
Basic Requirements
To adopt a child, you’ll need to have a free bed and chest in your designated family home. The bed allows the child to sleep and grow while the chest provides a safe storage space for the child’s belongings and some basic necessities.
Grenlod the Kind and the New Orphanage
After defeating Grelod the Kind at the Blue Palace, the orphanage is taken over by Constance Michel. She becomes the new caretaker of the orphanage and sends out an invitation to adopt children.
Why Adopt a Child?
Why would you want to adopt a child, you ask? Well, here are a few reasons:
- Company: Having a child keeps you safe and company during long campaigns.
- Love: Bonds with your child as they grow older.
- Heir: Children of your character will inherit your riches and properties when they grow old.
How to Adopt a Child?
Here’s a step-by-step process to adopt a child:
- Kill Grelod the Kind: Defeat Grelod the Kind to open up the process of adopting a child.
- Talk to Constance Michel: Constance sends out invitations to adopt children; talk to her at the orphanage to receive an invitation.
- Take the Child: Travel to the relevant location and talk to your targeted child. Choose the correct option to welcome them into your family.
- Transport the Child: Use your horse or fast travel to transport the child to your family home. Put them to bed by sleeping while they are with you; this allows them to grow and acquire skills.
- Monitor Progress: Continuously check on the child’s growth; they’ll have new skills and appearances as they grow up.
Non-human Children
If you’re worried about having a human child, fear not! You can also adopt children that are not human, such as Dark Elf or Imperial. Each child inherits the physical characteristics and racial abilities associated with their respective species.
Interesting Facts
Here are a few interesting things you might not know about adopting in Skyrim:
- Max 2 Children: You can only adopt and raise a maximum of two children.
Table of Adopting Children
| Child Name | Age (at adoption) | Racial Characteristics | Adopting Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anna | 8 | Imperial | Whiterun |
| Sofie | 4 | Breton | Windhelm |
Conclusion
Adopting children in Skyrim can be a life-changing event for your character. It allows your character to grow a new family with a new sense of purpose in the world. The steps to adoption are simple, but be prepared to ensure your child’s needs are met by purchasing the necessary supplies and upgrading the standard of living.