The Companions The Companions are the warriors guild of Skyrim . It serves a similar function to the Fighters Guild chapters of other regions of Tamriel . Eorlund Gray - Mane , a blacksmith in Whiterun , states that they have been leaderless since Ysgramor . He says that an elder known as Kodlak Whitemane acts as the Harbinger ( counselor ) . The fact that they have no official leader is emphasized by their name . If Torvar is asked , " " Who ' s in charge around here ? " " before joining , he will reply , " " In charge of what ? I ' m in charge of me , and you ' re in charge of you . " " Jorrvaskr , the mead hall where the Companions live and operate , is the oldest building in Whiterun . Background . The Companions can trace their origins from the Five Hundred Companions , the legendary army Ysgramor raised to wage war against the snow elves and avenge the Night of Tears . After defeating the snow elves in the Nordic - Falmer War , the remnants of the Five Hundred Companions went their separate ways to inhabit the unexplored lands of Tamriel . This period of exploration and colonization is known as The Return . Several hundred years after the death of Ysgramor , the Companions had converted into soldiers for hire . Their services could be purchased for the fighting of wars , but the commitment to individual honor meant that often Shield - Brother s would be forced to face each other on the field of battle . Since the conflict of interests between its members was jeopardizing their bonds of honor , Harbinger Mryfwiil , in his wisdom , decreed that they would no longer be party to any war or political conflict of any kind . Because of his steady hand , the Companions today are known as impartial arbiters of honor , in addition to their glories on the field of battle . By the end of the First Era , the Companions have begun to do away with rigid rules of Atmoran racial purity and recruited people of different races and walks of life to fill their ranks . After the dark periods in the late Second Era , when a string of false and dishonorable Harbingers laid claim to Jorrvaskr , it was Kyrnil Long - Nose who gathered the true hearts of the Companions in the wilds and stormed Jorrvaskr itself , killing the usurpers and returning honor through blood , in the old ways . He began the tradition of trusted advisors called the Circle ( named after Ysgramor ' s council of captains ) who would serve as examples to the younger , newer Companions . First interactions . Aela the Huntress , Farkas , and Ria can be the first faction members to be encountered in Skyrim . They first appear at Pelagia Farm outside of Whiterun fighting a giant . They may be assisted , and if this is done , Aela and the others react positively , while not helping causes her to deliver chastisement . Whether they are assisted or not , Aela extends an invitation to Jorrvaskr . If Whiterun is approached using a different route , it is possible to completely miss this fight . Because the Companions can kill the giant very quickly , it may be very hard to get to the fight in time to assist . Shooting at the giant from afar with a bow and scoring some hits will still register as assistance , and the Companions will stay until Aela speaks with the Dragonborn . Assistance . After joining the Companions , if the law is broken in Whiterun and the guards react negatively , members of the Companions will leap to the Dragonborn ' s defense . Jorrvaskr . Jorrvaskr is the home of the Companions , and is located on the eastern side of Whiterun in the Wind District . Jorrvaskr sits at the base of the Skyforge , which is an ancient forge from which special weapons and armor are crafted by Eorlund Gray - Mane . The Skyforge creates the finest steel in Tamriel , which is why Jorrvaskr was erected in this location . The inside serves as both the Companions ' lodging and mead hall where they sleep , tell tales of valor , and occasionally fight each other . Once the Companions are joined , this hall can serve as home for the Dragonborn as well . On the southern wall of the mead hall is a special area created to hold the fragments of Wuuthrad . At the end of the Companions questline , the last fragments are collected , and Wuuthrad is reforged to become whole . Wuuthrad can be kept after the final quest . Joining the Companions . The most straightforward way to join the Companions is by simply heading to Jorrvaskr in Whiterun and talking to the members until directed to the Harbinger , Kodlak Whitemane . Vilkas opposes the new member , but Kodlak reassures him and directs him to go outside and provide training . The Dragonborn must use melee weapons ( or bare fists ) when fighting Vilkas , and the weapon ( s ) cannot be enchanted . After the training , Vilkas will send the Dragonborn on an errand to Eorlund Gray - Mane , Whiterun ' s senior blacksmith at the Skyforge , in order to sharpen a sword . Eorlund offers information about the history of the Companions . He asks the Dragonborn to take a shield back to Aela . After these errand quests are completed , at least one radiant quest is given before being initiated into the guild . After the brief initiation ceremony , the new member is directed to choose a bed in the living quarters , which comes with a secure dresser for storing items . The Circle . The Companions also have a secret . Several of the Companions are werewolves and , as such , the guild is in constant conflict with a band of werewolf hunters known as the Silver Hand . During an early Companion quest , " Proving Honor , " an attack on Farkas by the Silver Hand can be witnessed from within a locked cage . After this , " " What is it like being a werewolf ? " " can be asked of them . After completing more quests after the Proving Honor quest for the Companions , Skjor can be spoken to . He and Aela offer lycanthropy . If the Dragonborn agrees , a special ceremony is conducted allowing for the transformation into a werewolf to occur once per day . Further interaction with the Companions halts until a decision is made . Quests . Side quests . Initial wave . These quests are available after completing " Take Up Arms . " Second wave . These quests are available after completing " The Silver Hand . " Aela only offers two of these quests ; the two that the Dragonborn will be asked to do is chosen by the game at random . Final wave . These quests are available after completing " Glory of the Dead . " Members . Asking Aela , Farkas , Vilkas , Athis or Njada to be a follower allows for free training sessions , because gold spent on lessons can be removed from their inventory repeatedly . Members of the guild can be fed upon by a vampire , but this is still considered a crime . The following people work for the Companions , though are not technically members . Bounty . The way that the Companions ' bounty works is different than the normal bounty system . The only way that bounty can be received is by stealing things from other Companions ( through pickpocket ing or just taking things from the shelves of Jorrvaskr ) or by killing a Companion in a single hit . It is possible to attack any one of the Companions without incurring any bounty . A warning is issued upon first strike , " " Watch it there , Brother / Sister . " " Thus , the Sneak , One - Handed , and Archery skills , as with any other offensive skill , can be leveled repeatedly . Killing a Companion causes a bounty of 1 , 000 to be assessed .