I've heard that wives and housecarls can occasionally make use of precious alchemy ingredients at their own leisure, can anyone confirm this? My only housecarl, Lydia, just got up and sat down on a chair in my bedroom in Whiterun so I don't have any firsthand account of this happening. I'm currently living in Markarth and I've put off both getting married and completing the fifth task for the Jarl to become Thane for fear that inhabitants might use up my Daedra Hearts or other precious ingredients. I've yet to really get into alchemy but I have a full stock of alchemical agents for when I do want to invest some time in it. If anyone has any idea about this it'd be much appreciated.

I am not 100% sure on this but I think they can pick up stuff laying around but I don't think they can go into chests or dressers. Try storing ingredients in containers.

I have found Lydia playing with my alchemy kit, but I haven't spotted anything missing (yet). She will eat stuff you put in her own personal inventory, though; so I keep feeding her sticky cakes and stuff.

That seems to make sense, I think the NPCs just like to fiddle. Whenever I go into the Hag's Cure Miuri always seems like she's cooking up a potion, but I doubt she's really making anything. Probably just an idle interaction. Also, I keep my ingredients in a barrel next to the alchemy table so it seems like I'll probably be ok. Thanks for the responses.

Lol imagine if you came home one night to find your wife eating a human heart :celebration: