The Elder Scrolls V: Hearthfire

The Elder Scrolls V: Hearthfire
Publication Information
Developer	Bethesda Softworks
Publisher	Bethesda Softworks
Release date	Xbox 360: Sep. 4th, 2012 Windows: Oct. 4th, 2012 PlayStation 3: 19 Feb 2013 (USA) 20 Feb 2013 (Europe)
Modes	Single Player
Platform	PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Game Information
Setting	Skyrim
Time Period	4E 201

The Elder Scrolls V: Hearthfire is the second official add-on for the fifth installment in The Elder Scrolls series, Skyrim.

Released for the Xbox 360 on September 4th, 2012. Hearthfire focuses around purchasing land and designing, building and maintaining a homestead. The option to hire stewards, carriage drivers and a personal bard are also available. With five pre-built purchasable houses already present in Skyrim, it's now possible to own property in every hold, except Winterhold.

In addition, an adoption mechanic has been introduced that allows the Dragonborn to adopt children and raise them in the newly built home, provided there is room for them. In addition, previously bought homes can be altered to have a children's bedroom fitted into them.

Official summary

Create a living home
With this official add-on to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, you can purchase land and build your own home from the ground up - from a simple one-room cottage to a sprawling compound complete with an armory, alchemy laboratory, stable, garden, and more. Use all-new tools like the drafting table and carpenter's workbench to transform quarried stone, clay, and sawn logs into structures and furnishings. Even transform your house into a home by adopting children.

Building a homestead

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The early stages of construction in the marshes of Hjaalmarch.

Main article: Homestead

The first step to building a homestead is to purchase one of three plots of land available and obtain a title deed from the local Jarl. Multiple plots can be purchased, and a house can be built on each.

The locations for building a homestead are:

• Windstad Manor, located near the salt marshes of Hjaalmarch.
• Lakeview Manor, located in the dense forests of Falkreath.
• Heljarchen Hall, located in the snowy tundras of The Pale.

After a plot has been purchased, the Drafting Table is used to plan any structures to be added, and the Carpenter's Workbench is then used for the actual building of the house.

The building itself is typically composed of several housebuilding materials, including Quarried Stone, Clay and Sawn Logs, that when combined make up the structure of the house.

Furnishings

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A trophy room with several taxidermied creatures.

Main article: Furnishings

Once the main building or a wing has been constructed, an interior workbench can be used to furnish each room.

Furnishings can be either bought directly from a steward or crafted using a wide variety of items. Furnishings vary for each type of building addition and include:

• Armor Mannequins
• Divine Shrines
• Alchemy Lab
• Arcane Enchanter
• Weapon Racks
• Display Cases
• Smithing stations
• Taxidermied or mounted creatures.
• Most regular furnishings found in homes.

Servants

Several types of servant can be hired to perform different tasks around the house:

• A Steward can be hired to buy raw materials for building the home and equip it with furnishings. Followers can be turned into a steward. Any housecarl from the various holds can be hired as the Steward. Stewards can be used to purchase Bards, carriage drivers, cows, chickens, and horses.
• A carriage driver to provide transportation.
• A personal Bard.

Family life

Once the house is complete, the option to move in with a spouse or adopt a child is available. Additional options will be present for any adopted children, such as giving gifts, playing games or instructing them to do their chores. The option to allow them to keep pets is also included. Children will ask to keep a dog if you show him or her the dog, setting the dog's home to yours.

Occasionally the home may become subject to skeever infestations, giant attacks, marauding bandits, kidnappers, wolves, Draugr or armed bandits that must be dealt with.

Characters

Children

• Lucia – Child found begging near the Gildergreen in Whiterun.
• Blaise – Child found working as a stable boy at Katla's Farm.
• Sofie – Child found selling flowers in Windhelm.
• Alesan – Child found working for the miners in Dawnstar.

Housecarls

• Rayya – Housecarl upon becoming Thane of Falkreath.
• Gregor – Housecarl upon becoming Thane of The Pale.
• Valdimar – Housecarl upon becoming Thane of Hjaalmarch.

Bards

• Llewellyn the Nightingale – The Bard who can be hired for Lakeview Manor.
• Oriella – The Bard who can be hired for Heljarchen Hall.
• Sonir – The Bard who can be hired at Windstad Manor.

Carriage drivers

• Markus – Carriage driver hired for Heljarchen Hall.
• Engar – Carriage driver hired for Windstad Manor.
• Gunjar – Carriage driver hired for Lakeview Manor.

Items

Main article: Items (Hearthfire)

10 new crafting materials have been added, which are used in the construction of a homestead. Several new food items and consumables are also added, including updated models for all soups and stews, giving each a distinctive look.

Achievements

Main article: Achievements (Hearthfire)

There are 5 possible achievements, totaling 50 gamerpoints.

Bugs

This section contains bugs related to The Elder Scrolls V: Hearthfire. Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following: Please reload an old save to confirm if the bug is still happening. If the bug is still occurring, please post the bug report with the appropriate system template  360  /  XB1  ,  PS3  /  PS4  ,  PC  /  MAC  ,  NX  /  PS5  ,  XS  , depending on which platform(s) the bug has been encountered on. Be descriptive when listing the bug and fixes, but avoid having conversations in the description and/or using first-person anecdotes: such discussions belong on the appropriate forum board.

•  360   Upon downloading Hearthfire, there is a chance that none of the children in game will be wearing clothes. This includes children eligible for adoption. There is currently no known fix.
•  360   If you buy the child bedroom in Hjerim, there will be two changes to the furniture. The items in the wardobe next to the entrance to the alchemy/enchanting lab will be replaced by a cupboard in the child's room. The cupboard next to the chest in the player's room will disappear with all the items in it. it is advisable to clear these containers or saving before buying the decoration.
•  360   Sometimes when using the Carpenter's workbench in your home it may revert to a menu of items you've already built in the room, essentially wasting your supplies. To correct this exit the menu and re-enter it, it should correct the problem.
•  360   Main Hall wing extensions with balconies will give you the option to build exterior objects i.e, Chairs, Tables and Benches. When building "Exterior" ornate style benches please note that the in-game image is incorrect. What the game will actually build is a standard flat bench. There is currently no fix to this bug.
•  360   Caution when creating an enchanting table and you have the Black Star in your inventory, because the grand soul it requires could use the soul in the item and also remove the item from your inventory.

Gallery

Early construction 2.

Early construction.

Working at the Drafting Table.

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The Enchanter's Tower.

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An example of a finished home.

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Construction: Stage 1.

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Construction: Stage 2.

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Construction: Stage 3.

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Construction: Stage 4.

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The menu while using a Drafting Table.

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Working at the drafting table.

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The menu to create locks.

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Nails are one of the many components used to create the home.

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House blueprints 1.

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House blueprints 2.

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House blueprints 3.

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Cooking at a furnace.

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A greenhouse with several plants.

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Customized room with an Arcane Enchanter.

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Customized room with added mannequins.

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Divine Shrines can be added to the home.

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A trophy room.

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Stewards may be hired to buy materials.

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Stewards can hire a personal bard.

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Stewards can also provide transportation options.

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The adoption mechanic.

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Additional options for children.

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The Hearthfire logo.