I am trying to research this but it's confusing. Have several questions not finding answers.

1) What exactly does a housecarl do?

2) Do you have to have one? Should you have one?

3) I found rats in my cellar would a housecarl keep them or outside mobs away?

4) What if I don't like my housecarl's dialog? Can I unemploy them?

5) Can I get a different one after choosing one?

6) I have Hearthfire expansion and built a house near Falkreath with permission from Jarl Siddgeir. Do I have to become his thane and then am I stuck getting http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Rayya as housecarl?

7) Does it matter if I get a housecarl before or after husband and kids (also pert to Hearthfire)?

Thx for answers in advance.

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Xbox, Hearthfire, no patches

1- They will protect you and all you own, with their life.

2- They are given to you whenever you buy a home in any of the cities.

3- No.

4- No, they're permanent.

5- No, they're given to you.

6- You're given Rayya as a Housecarl.

7- No.

If you do not like your housecarl, you can certainly terminate their employment Skyrim style, you kill them. The Jarl will not be offering you another housecarl though, so that will be one less person to help you protect the house if it is a Hearthfire house, and one less follower for you.

The skeever problem in the cellar is yours to get rid off, no matter how many people you have in the house, or which housecarl or steward you have.

Whenever I think of Housecarls, the term "Pack Mule" comes to mind.

Housecarls IMO are just babysitters for your house. or if you have kids and a follower wife, just a babysitter while you're away

I use Faendal as a follower and have since I started because he was the first one I met. I like him - we're both elves, even tho I'm highborn. I've never used anyone else. He's also my pack mule. I'm about to get married for the first time ever in Skyrim. Faendal is holding half my household goods in his inventory while I've got the rest. I read there is a possible glitch where your household items disappear when moving a spouse in; so not taking chances. When Faendal approached my house (in follower mode) he pulled me into one of those unavoidable freezeframe dialogues and asked to be my housecarl. I had two options, to accept or refuse. I said, "no," and he apologized so pathetic sounding it made me feel like a donkey.

I'm pretty much afraid of getting a housecarl. My friend got one from a jarl and she said she had to kill her about an hour later because the housecarl, "Just drank my wine and yelled at me whenever I knocked over a pot. It's my %#* house I can knock over my furniture if I want!"

So it appears because of Hearthfire I just have to bring a follower up to the door of my home and they ask to be housecarl. Skipping the jarl and thanehood altogether.

You are a bit confused Jemcrystaline, Faendal asked to be your steward, not your housecarl, and yes the way you get rid of stewards is the same as for housecarl's, it is a life time position (for only one house) so you want to be rid of one, kill them! I would not worry about your household items vanishing, unless it is a home your do not own, like a spouse home.

You always get the same housecarl from what ever Jarl you brought the house from, unless you do the extra quests you will not get one. I shipped most of mine out from the vanilla homes (Blades or Hearthfire stewards), they were always getting in the way of house decorating, telling me not to do something, or otherwise just being a nuisance. Hearthfire homes are bigger and they usually have something outside to do, it is only the steward who can be a pest, I especially have trouble with Lydia. They really annoy you take them outside and ask them to wait, or kill them. Any NPC makes you feel bad when they ask to be your steward and you say no, I would not worry about it, choose someone else and bring them home. But you would have to dismiss your current follower to get another, since only followers can be stewards.

And always save before trying out a new steward, you do not like your choice, you will be able to go back and try again.

They are given to you when you become Thane, not when you buy a house.

I wonder if there's a mod to swap what cities Lydia and Rayya are Housecarls for. I'll have to ask about that in the mod forums. Of all the Housecarls, I actually prefer Lydia over any of the others, but I'd prefer to live in Lakeview Manor instead of Whiterun.