The Elder Scrolls V: Hearthfire

***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. Previously bought homes can be altered to have a children's bedroom fitted into them.

## Building a homestead

*Main article: Homestead (Hearthfire)*
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 or steward. 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

*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.

## ServantsEditar

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 lifeEditar

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 adoptedchildren, 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 one shows him or her the dog, setting the dog's home to the Dragonborn's.

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

## CharactersEditar

### ChildrenEditar

* 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.

### HousecarlsEditar

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

### BardsEditar

* 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 driversEditar

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

## ItemsEditar

*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.

## AchievementsEditar

*Main article: Achievements (Hearthfire)*
There are 5 possible achievements, totaling 50 gamerpoints.