Skyrim:Essential NPCs

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There are several NPCs in Skyrim who at some point during gameplay are essential. In effect, this means they cannot be killed under any condition (unlike protected NPCs, who can be killed normally by the player, but not by others), and when their health bar fully depletes, they will merely fall into a state of recovery for a short time before standing back up with full health. Unlike Oblivion, it is not possible to tell whether an NPC is essential without attempting to kill them or by using the level 100 Pickpocket perk Perfect Touch, which allows the player to remove equipped items; in the case of essential NPCs, however, the player will not be able to use this perk on them. NPCs are usually only set to essential if they are of high importance to a later quest (some of these essential NPCs have scripted deaths during, or at the end of, the quest).

Some NPCs in Skyrim are always essential and can never be killed, even after their associated quests are completed. Notable examples include the Imperial legates at the Imperial camps and named Stormcloak officers at the Stormcloak camps.

Children are not listed here because they use a tag other than essential to prevent them from being killed. This tag is a part of their race and, with the exception of Babette and Sofie^HF, these two tags are never both found on the same NPC.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z|Creatures

A[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Adril Arano^DB	Morvayn Manor^DB (Raven Rock)	Never
Aela the Huntress	Companion's Faction Hall (Whiterun)	After completing Glory of the Dead
Alik'r Prisoner	Dragonsreach Dungeon (Whiterun)	Never
Amaund Motierre	The Bannered Mare (Whiterun)	Hail Sithis!
Ancano	Hall of the Elements (College of Winterhold)	The Eye of Magnus
Anton Virane	Understone Keep (Markarth)	Recipe for Disaster
Anuriel	Mistveil Keep (Riften)	Never
Arnbjorn	Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary (Falkreath Hold)	Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!, or scripted death during Death Incarnate
Arngeir	High Hrothgar (Whiterun Hold)	Never
Arniel Gane	Hall of Attainment (College of Winterhold)	Scripted disappearance after Arniel's Endeavor
Arrald Frozen-Heart	Hjaalmarch Stormcloak Camp	Never
Asgeir Snow-Shod	Snow-Shod Manor (Riften)	Bound Until Death
Aslfur	Highmoon Hall (Morthal)	Never
Astrid	Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary (Falkreath Hold)	With Friends Like These... or Death Incarnate
Atmah	Labyrinthian (Hjaalmarch)	Never
Augur of Dunlain	The Midden (College of Winterhold)	Never (though technically not an NPC)
Avrusa Sarethi	Sarethi Farm (the Rift)	Never
Avulstein Gray-Mane	House Gray-Mane (Whiterun)	Never
Azzadal	Bard's Leap Summit (The Reach)	Never

B[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Balagog gro-Nolob	Nightgate Inn Cellar (the Pale)	Recipe for Disaster
Baldor Iron-Shaper^DB	Baldor Iron-Shaper's House^DB (Skaal Village)	Never
Balgruuf the Greater	Dragonsreach (Whiterun)	Never
Beirand	Solitude Blacksmith (Solitude)	Get Outfitted
Bersi Honey-Hand	Pawned Prawn (Riften)	Taking Care of Business
Blasphemous Priest	Temple of Kynareth (Whiterun)	Never
Bolgeir Bearclaw	Blue Palace (Solitude)	Never
Borri	High Hrothgar (Whiterun Hold)	Never
Boti	Fellstar Farm (Ivarstead)	The Book of Love
Brand-Shei	Riften (the Rift)	After A Chance Arrangement.
Breya	Avanchnzel (the Rift)	Never
Brina Merilis	Brina's House (Dawnstar)	Never
Brother Verulus	Hall of the Dead (Markarth)	The Taste of Death
Brunwulf Free-Winter	Brunwulf Free-Winter's House (Windhelm)	Never
Bryling	Bryling's House (Solitude)	After Bound Until Death.
Brynjolf	Thieves Guild (Riften)	Never

C[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Calcelmo	Understone Keep (Markarth)	Never
Calixto Corrium	Calixto's House of Curiosities (Windhelm)	Blood on the Ice
Captain Lonely-Gale	Windhelm	Never
Captain Veleth^DB	The Bulwark^DB (Raven Rock)	Never
Carriage Driver	Katla's Farm, Thalmor Embassy	Never
Cart Driver		Never
Chief Yamarz	Largashbur Longhouse (the Rift)	The Cursed Tribe
Cicero	The Pale then Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary	The Cure for Madness (becomes essential again if spared)
Cindiri Arano^DB	Morvayn Manor^DB (Raven Rock)	Never
Colette Marence	Hall of Countenance (College of Winterhold)	Never
Commander Caius	Guard Barracks (Whiterun)	Never
Commander Maro	Penitus Oculatus Outpost (Dragon Bridge)	Hail Sithis!
Crescius Caerellius^DB	Caerellius House^DB (Raven Rock)	Never
Curwe	Loreius Farm (the Pale)	Scripted death after Delayed Burial if the player chooses to turn in Cicero
Corrupt Agent	Penitus Oculatus Outpost (Dragon Bridge)	Never

D[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Danica Pure-Spring	Temple of Kynareth (Whiterun)	After The Blessings of Nature
Deeja	Red Wave, Wreck of the Icerunner	Lights Out!
Delphine	Sleeping Giant Inn (Riverwood)	Never
Delvin Mallory	The Ragged Flagon (Riften)	Never
Dengeir of Stuhn	Dengeir's House (Falkreath)	Never
Dervenin	Temple of the Divines (Solitude)	Never
Desperate Gambler	Windhelm Barracks	Never
Dishonored Skald	Bards College (Solitude)	Never
Dorian	Red Wave (Solitude)	Never
Drennen	Avanchnzel (the Rift)	Never
Drevis Neloren	Hall of Countenance (College of Winterhold)	Never
Drovas Relvi^DB	The Retching Netch^DB (Raven Rock), Tel Mithryn Steward's House^DB (Tel Mithryn)	Never

E[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Einarth	High Hrothgar (Whiterun Hold)	Never
Elenwen	Thalmor Embassy (Haafingar)	After Dragonslayer
Elisif the Fair	Blue Palace (Solitude)	Never
Eltrys	The Warrens (Markarth)	Scripted death after The Forsworn Conspiracy
Elvali Veren	Labyrinthian (Hjaalmarch)	Never
Endon	Endon's House (Markarth)	Never
Ennis	Cowflop Farmhouse (Rorikstead)	Before Patch 1.5
Enthir	Hall of Attainment (College of Winterhold)	Never
Erandur	Windpeak Inn (Dawnstar)	Waking Nightmare
Erikur	Erikur's House (Solitude)	After Bound Until Death / Never, if you choose to play Destroy the Dark Brotherhood! instead
Erlendr	Hall of Valor (Sovngarde)	Never
Esbern	The Ratway Warrens (Riften)	Never

F[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Falas Selvayn^DB	Ramshackle Trading Post^DB	Never
Faleen	Understone Keep (Markarth)	Never
Falion	Falion's House (Morthal)	Never
Falk Firebeard	Blue Palace (Solitude)	Never
Faralda	Hall of Countenance (College of Winterhold)	Never
Farkas	Companion's Faction Hall (Whiterun)	After completing Glory of the Dead
Fastred	Fellstar Farm (Ivarstead)	The Book of Love
Felldir the Old	Hall of Valor (Sovngarde)	Never
Fenrig	Greenspring Hollow (Whiterun Hold)	Never
Festus Krex	Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary (Falkreath Hold)	Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!, or scripted death during Death Incarnate
Frea^DB	Temple of Miraak^DB, Skaal Village^DB	Never
Frorkmar Banner-Torn	The White Hall (Dawnstar)	Never

G[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Gabriella	Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary (Falkreath Hold)	Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!, or scripted death during Death Incarnate
Galathil^DG	The Ragged Flagon (Riften)	Never
Galmar Stone-Fist	Palace of the Kings (Windhelm)	Battle for Windhelm
Geldis Sadri^DB	The Retching Netch^DB (Raven Rock)	Never
Gelebros	Hall of the Elements (College of Winterhold)	Never
General Tullius	Castle Dour (Solitude)	Battle for Solitude
Gianna	Castle Dour, Emperor's Tower (Solitude)	To Kill an Empire
Girduin	Labyrinthian (Hjaalmarch)	Never
Gisli	Erikur's House (Solitude)	Never
Gjalund Salt-Sage^DB	The Northern Maiden^DB	Never
Glover Mallory^DB	Glover Mallory's House^DB (Raven Rock)	Never
Gonnar Oath-Giver	Rift Stormcloak Camp(The Rift)	Never
Gormlaith Golden-Hilt	Hall of Valor (Sovngarde)	Never
Griefstricken Chef	Windpeak Inn (Dawnstar)	Never
Gulum-Ei	The Winking Skeever (Solitude)	Scoundrel's Folly

H[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Hadvar	Helgen Keep	Never
Haelga	Haelga's Bunkhouse (Riften)	Taking Care of Business
Hafnar Ice-Fist	Labyrinthian (Hjaalmarch)	Never
Hakon One-Eye	Hall of Valor (Sovngarde)	Never
Helgird	Hall of the Dead (Windhelm)	Never
Hemming Black-Briar	Black-Briar Manor (Riften)	Never
Hero of Sovngarde	Hall of Valor (Sovngarde)	Never
High King Torygg	Hall of Valor (Sovngarde)	Never
Hjornskar Head-Smasher	Whiterun Stormcloak Camp	Never
Horik Halfhand	Brina's House (Dawnstar)	Never
Hrongar	Dragonsreach (Whiterun)	Never
Hunroor	Hall of Valor (Sovngarde)	Never

I[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Idgrod Ravencrone	Highmoon Hall (Morthal)	Never
Idgrod the Younger	Highmoon Hall (Morthal)	Never
Igmund	Understone Keep (Markarth)	Never
Ildari Sarothril^DB	Highpoint Tower^DB	End of Old Friends
Indolent Farmer	Vilemyr Inn (Ivarstead)	Never
Irileth	Dragonsreach (Whiterun)	Never
Istar Cairn-Breaker	Haafingar Stormcloak Camp	Never

J[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Jaree-Ra	Angeline's Aromatics (Solitude)	Lights Out!
Jod	The White Hall (Dawnstar)	Never
Jofthor	Fellstar Farm (Ivarstead)	The Book of Love
Jorleif	Palace of the Kings (Windhelm)	Never
Jurgen Windcaller	Hall of Valor (Sovngarde)	Never

K[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Kai Wet-Pommel	Winterhold Stormcloak Camp	Never
Karliah	Snow Veil Sanctum (Winterhold)	Never
Keerava	The Bee and Barb (Riften)	Taking Care of Business
Kodlak Whitemane	Jorrvaskr (Whiterun)	Scripted death after Blood's Honor
Korir	Jarl's Longhouse (Winterhold)	Never
Kottir Red-Shoal	Reach Stormcloak Camp	Never
Kraldar	Kraldar's House (Winterhold)	Never

L[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Laila Law-Giver	Mistveil Keep (Riften)	Never
Legate Adventus Caesennius	Castle Dour (Solitude)	Never
Legate Constantius Tituleius	Pale Imperial Camp	Never
Legate Emmanuel Admand	Understone Keep (Markarth)	Never
Legate Fasendil	Rift Imperial Camp	Never
Legate Hrollod	Eastmarch Imperial Camp	Never
Legate Quentin Cipius	Whiterun Imperial Camp or Dragonsreach (Whiterun)	Never
Legate Rikke	Castle Dour (Solitude)	Battle for Solitude
Legate Sevan Telendas	Winterhold Imperial Camp	Never
Legate Skulnar	Jarl's Longhouse (Falkreath)	Never
Legate Taurinus Duilis	Highmoon Hall (Morthal)	Never
Lleril Morvayn^DB	Morvayn Manor^DB (Raven Rock)	Never
Louis Letrush	The Bee and Barb (Riften)	Depends on choices in dialogue with him at the end of Promises to Keep
Lygrleid^DB	The Northern Maiden^DB	Never

M[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
M'aiq the Liar	Random encounter	Never
Malborn	Thalmor Embassy (Haafingar)	Diplomatic Immunity
Mallus Maccius	Honningbrew Meadery (Whiterun)	Never
Malur Seloth	Jarl's Longhouse (Winterhold)	Never
Maramal	Temple of Mara (Riften)	Never
Maul	Black-Briar Manor (Riften)	Never
Maven Black-Briar	Black-Briar Manor (Riften)	Never
Mercer Frey	The Ragged Flagon - Cistern (Riften)	Blindsighted
Mirabelle Ervine	Hall of Attainment (College of Winterhold)	Scripted death during The Staff of Magnus
Mirri Severin^DB	Severin Manor^DB (Raven Rock)	During Served Cold
Mjoll the Lioness	Aerin's House (Riften)	Never
Mogrul^DB	The Retching Netch^DB (Raven Rock)	During and after the quest A New Debt
Muiri	The Hag's Cure (Markarth)	Mourning Never Comes

N[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Nazir	Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary	Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!
Nelacar	The Frozen Hearth (Winterhold)	Never
Neloth^DB	Tel Mithryn^DB (Tel Mithryn)	Never
Nenya	Jarl's Longhouse (Falkreath)	Never
Nerien	Saarthal Excavation (Winterhold)	Never
Nervous Patron	Candlehearth Hall (Windhelm)	Never
Nikulas	Hall of Valor (Sovngarde)	Never
Niranye	Niranye's House (Windhelm)	Summerset Shadows
Noster Eagle-Eye	The Winking Skeever (Solitude)	Never

O[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Olaf One-Eye	Hall of Valor (Sovngarde)	Never
Olava the Feeble	Olava the Feeble's House (Whiterun)	Never
Olfrid Battle-Born	House of Clan Battle-Born (Whiterun)	Never
Oslaf^DB	Temple of Miraak^DB, Oslaf's House^DB (Skaal Village)	After completion of At the Summit of Apocrypha

P[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Pactur	Sorli's House (Hjaalmarch)	Never
Paratus Decimius	Mzulft Aedrome (Eastmarch)	Revealing the Unseen
Phinis Gestor	Hall of Countenance (College of Winterhold)	Never
Proventus Avenicci	Dragonsreach (Whiterun)	Never

Q[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Quaranir	Arch-Mage's Quarters (College of Winterhold)	Never

R[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Raerek	Understone Keep (Markarth)	Never
Ralis Sedarys^DB	Kolbjorn Barrow^DB	End of Unearthed
Ralof	Helgen Keep	Never
Razelan	Thalmor Embassy (Haafingar)	Never
Reburrus Quintilius	The Treasury House (Markarth)	Never
Rexus	Volunruud (the Pale)	Hail Sithis!
Ri'saad	Outside Whiterun or Markarth	Never
Rolff Stone-Fist	Candlehearth Hall (Windhelm)	Never
Ruki	Gjukar's Monument (Whiterun Hold)	Never

S[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Sabine Nytte	Red Wave (Solitude)	Never
Sabjorn	Honningbrew Meadery (Whiterun)	Never
Sam Guevenne	The Bee and Barb (Riften)	Never
Sanguine	Morvunskar (Eastmarch)	Never
Savos Aren	Arch-Mage's Quarters (College of Winterhold)	Scripted death during Revealing the Unseen
Scheming Servant	Understone Keep (Markarth)	Never
Senna	Temple of Dibella, Markarth	Before Patch 1.5
Serana^DG	Dimhollow Crypt^DG (The Pale)	Never
Sheogorath	The Mind of a Madman (Haafingar)	Never
Siddgeir	Jarl's Longhouse (Falkreath)	Never
Silda the Unseen	Streets of Windhelm	Stage 40 of Blood on the Ice
Sinding	Falkreath Jail (Falkreath)	Ill Met By Moonlight
Sinmir	The Bannered Mare (Whiterun)	Never
Skald	The White Hall (Dawnstar)	Never
Skjor	Jorrvaskr	Before Take Up Arms, scripted death during The Silver Hand
Sogrlaf^DB	The Northern Maiden^DB	Never
Sorli the Builder	Sorli's House (Hjaalmarch)	Never
Storn Crag-Strider^DB	Shaman's Hut^DB (Skaal Village)	Scripted death during The Gardener of Men
Susanna the Wicked	Candlehearth Hall (Windhelm)	Scripted death during Blood on the Ice
Svaknir	Dead Men's Respite (Hjaalmarch)	Never

T[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Takes-In-Light	Labyrinthian (Hjaalmarch)	Never
Talen-Jei	The Bee and Barb (Riften)	Never
Tandil	Hall of the Elements (College of Winterhold)	Never
Teeba-Ei	Rockwallow Mine (Hjaalmarch)	Never
Tekla	Dengeir's House (Falkreath)	Never
Thaena	Jarl's Longhouse (Winterhold)	Never
Tharstan^DB	Greathall^DB (Skaal Village)	Never
Thonar Silver-Blood	The Treasury House (Markarth)	After completing No One Escapes Cidhna Mine
Thongvor Silver-Blood	The Treasury House (Markarth)	Never
Thonjolf	Kraldar's House (Winterhold)	Never
Thonnir	Thonnir's House (Morthal)	Never
Thorygg Sun-Killer	Falkreath Stormcloak Camp	Never
Tilisu Severin^DB	Severin Manor^DB (Raven Rock)	During Served Cold
Tolfdir	Hall of Attainment (College of Winterhold)	Never
Tonilia	The Ragged Flagon (Riften)	Never
Torsten Cruel-Sea	House of Clan Cruel-Sea (Windhelm)	Never
Tova Shatter-Shield	House of Clan Shatter-Shield (Windhelm)	Scripted death if Nilsine Shatter-Shield dies
Tsun	Sovngarde	Never

U[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Ulfgar the Unending	Hall of Valor (Sovngarde)	Never
Ulfric Stormcloak	Palace of the Kings (Windhelm)	Battle for Windhelm
Unemployed Laborer	Frostfruit Inn (Rorikstead)	Never
Unmid Snow-Shod	Mistveil Keep (Riften)	Never
Urag gro-Shub	The Arcanaeum (College of Winterhold)	Never

V[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Vaermina Devotee	Nightcaller Temple (the Pale)	Never
Valdar	Valthume Vestibule (the Reach)	Never
Vantus Loreius	Loreius Farm (the Pale)	Scripted death after Delayed Burial if the player chooses to turn in Cicero
Varnius Junius	Blue Palace (Solitude)	The Man Who Cried Wolf
Varona Nelas^DB	Tel Mithryn Steward's House^DB (Tel Mithryn)	Scripted death during Reluctant Steward
Veezara	Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary (Falkreath Hold)	Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!, or scripted death during Death Incarnate
Vekel the Man	The Ragged Flagon (Riften)	Never
Vendil Severin^DB	Ashfallow Citadel^DB	During Served Cold
Vex	The Ragged Flagon (Riften)	Never
Viarmo	Bards College (Solitude)	Never
Vigilant Tyranus	Silver-Blood Inn (Markarth)	The House of Horrors
Vignar Gray-Mane	Jorrvaskr (Whiterun)	Never
Vilkas	Companion's Faction Hall (Whiterun)	After completing Glory of the Dead
Viola Giordano	TownWindhelmFaction (Windhelm)	If The Player Decides To Marry Her
Vittoria Vici	Vittoria Vici's House (Solitude)	Bound Until Death
Voice of Namira	Reachcliff Cave (the Reach)	Never

W[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Wary Outlaw	The Bee and Barb (Riften)	Never
Watches-The-Roots	Avanchnzel (the Rift)	Never
Wilhelm	Vilemyr Inn (Ivarstead)	Never
Wulfgar	High Hrothgar (Whiterun Hold)	Never
Wuunferth the Unliving	Palace of the Kings (Windhelm)	Never

Y[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Yngvar the Singer	The Treasury House (Markarth)	Never
Yrsa^DB	Temple of Miraak^DB, Deor Woodcutter's House^DB (Skaal Village)	Never
Yrsarald Thrice-Pierced	Palace of the Kings (Eastmarch)	Never
Ysgramor	Hall of Valor (Sovngarde)	Never
Ysolda	Ysolda's House (Whiterun)	Before Patch 1.5

Z[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Zaria	Grave Concoctions (Falkreath)	Never

Creatures[edit]

Name	Found	Becomes Killable
Alduin	Helgen, Kynesgrove, Throat of the World, Sovngarde	During the Dragonslayer quest
Barbas	Outside Falkreath	At the end of A Daedra's Best Friend (only with The Rueful Axe)
Odahviing	Dragonsreach (Whiterun)	Never
Paarthurnax	Throat of the World (Whiterun Hold)	During the eponymous quest