Skyrim:Animal Extermination (A)

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For the alternate version, see Animal Extermination (B).

Fulfill a contract given to the Companions to kill an invading beast. Quest Giver: Aela the Huntress Location(s): Whiterun, Jorrvaskr Prerequisite Quest: Take Up Arms Reward: Leveled gold ID: CR01

An invading Snow Bear lying dead in Proudspire Manor

Quick Walkthrough

1. Travel to Jorrvaskr to speak with Aela the Huntress about work.
2. Clear out the beast invading a citizen of Skyrim's home or shop.
3. Return to Aela for payment.

Detailed Walkthrough

The Job

Once you have completed the Take Up Arms quest, you can begin work as a Companion. As one of the group's leaders, Aela the Huntress will allocate jobs to those looking for work. When you approach Aela she will inform you that: "A citizen of <a location in Skyrim> has asked for our help. It seems a predator has invaded their <home, shop, farm>, and someone needs to clear the beast out." Accept the job and your journal will be updated with the location and the type of predator you need to exterminate.

PC Level	Beasts
>=1	Wolf
>=6	Ice Wolf, Ice Wraith, Sabre Cat
>=11	Snowy Sabre Cat
>=12	Bear
>=16	Cave Bear
>=20	Hagraven, Snow Bear

The location can be any of at least forty-two houses in Skyrim. The list includes most houses (other than inns) that are occupied by standard town citizens. The location will be limited to holds that you have previously visited, so early in the game you may only receive destinations within Whiterun Hold, but later in the game there are many more possible destinations. Note that if you have the Dragonborn add-on installed, the location may be on Solstheim, in which case your quest marker will not appear while you are in Skyrim.

House	City/Town	Victim(s)
Aeri's House	Anga's Mill	Aeri
Fruki's House	Dawnstar	Fruki
Irgnir's House	Dawnstar	Irgnir
Leigelf's House	Dawnstar	Leigelf
Rustleif's House	Dawnstar	Rustleif, Seren
Heljarchen HallHF	Heljarchen Hall	Player's spouse or personal steward
Klimmek's House	Ivarstead	Bassianus Axius, Klimmek
Karthwasten Hall	Karthwasten	Ainethach
Karthwasten Miner's Barracks	Karthwasten	Ragnar
Pavo's House	Kolskeggr Mine	Pavo Attius
Lakeview ManorHF	Lakeview Manor	Player's spouse or personal steward
Daighre's House	Left Hand Mine	Daighre
Left Hand Miner's Barracks	Left Hand Mine	Ennoc, Adeber, Willem
Skaggi's House	Left Hand Mine	Skaggi Scar-Face
Endon's House	Markarth	Kerah, Endon
Nepos's House	Markarth	Morven, Tynan
Ogmund's House	Markarth	Ogmund
The Treasury House	Markarth	Thongvor Silver-Blood, Yngvar the Singer, Reburrus Quintilius, Thonar Silver-Blood, Rhiada
The Warrens	Markarth	Eltrys, Hathrasil, Dryston, Omluag
Gilfre's House	Mixwater Mill	Gilfre
Alva's House	Morthal	Hroggar
Jorgen and Lami's House	Morthal	Lami, Jorgen
Thonnir's House	Morthal	Thonnir
Oslaf's HouseDB	Skaal Village	Oslaf
Haelga's Bunkhouse	Riften	Svana Far-Shield
House of Mjoll the Lioness	Riften	Mjoll the Lioness, Aerin
Alvor and Sigrid's House	Riverwood	Sigrid, Alvor
Faendal's House	Riverwood	Faendal
Hod and Gerdur's House	Riverwood	Hod, Gerdur
Sven's House	Riverwood	Sven
Sarethi Farm	Sarethi Farm	Aduri Sarethi
Filnjar's House	Shor's Stone	Filnjar
Odfel's and Grogmar's House	Shor's Stone	Odfel
Sylgja's House	Shor's Stone	Sylgja
Addvar's House	Solitude	Greta, Addvar
Erikur's House	Solitude	Erikur
Evette San's House	Solitude	Evette San
Jala's House	Solitude	Ahtar
Katla's Farm	Solitude	Katla, Snilling
Proudspire Manor	Solitude	Player's spouse or personal steward
Vittoria Vici's House	Solitude	Vittoria Vici
Miner's House	Soljund's Sinkhole	Perth
Sorli's House	Stonehills	Pactur
Loreius Farm	Whiterun	Vantus Loreius
Ysolda's House	Whiterun	Ysolda
Windstad ManorHF	Windstad Manor	Player's spouse or personal steward
Kraldar's House	Winterhold	Kraldar, Thonjolf
Ranmir's House	Winterhold	Birna

Reward

Once you have eliminated the invader, return to Aela for your payment. This quest is repeatable.

Levels	Reward	USLEEP Reward
1–9	100	100
10–19	150	150
20–29	300	200
30–39	300	250
40+	300	300

†Level is based on when the player completed the previous quest (or level one for the first quest), not the player's level when receiving the quest or its reward.

‡The reward amounts for radiant Companions quests do not progress as intended.

• The Unofficial Skyrim Legendary Edition Patch, version 3.0.3, fixes this bug. (details)

Notes

• If Dragonborn is installed, some radiant locations may be on Solstheim. If you are in Skyrim, you will not receive a quest marker pointing you to the quest location, but must travel to Solstheim first (at which point any quest markers you have to quests in Skyrim will disappear).
• The animals that spawn will not be restricted to that animal's natural habitat. For example, you could find a snow bear or snowy sabre cat in Falkreath Hold or Riverwood, even though these places have more temperate climates.
• Sometimes you are technically considered trespassing when you enter one of these homes, even though you have permission to be there. Though you will not get a bounty, your followers will still refuse to speak to you, insisting that "You're not supposed to be in here." while in the house.
  • Unless the door is locked and you are seen picking the lock, then you will receive a bounty of 5 septims.

Bugs

• After killing the beast and returning to Aela, your quest will be acknowledged as complete, but it may remain in your quest list. If this happens, Aela will not give you any further quests to do (though it will still trigger The Silver Hand quest if you are far enough in the Companion's Quest Line). This can be circumvented by loading a save prior to reporting back to Aela and using unrelenting force on her before talking to her.
• After killing the beast, the owner of the home will not give any thanks and instead will accuse you of trespassing. If you do not leave immediately he or she will call the guards and you will be arrested upon exiting the house.

Quest Stages

Animal Extermination (CR01)
Stage	Finishes Quest	Journal Entry
10		I've been tasked to clear the <Alias=Beast> out of <Alias=BeastVictim>'s home in <Alias=VictimHometown>. Objective 10: Kill the <Alias=Beast>
20		I've cleared the <Alias=Beast> out of <Alias=BeastVictim>'s home in <Alias=VictimHometown>. Objective 20: Return to Aela
200	Finishes quest
250	Fails quest

• The following empty quest stages were omitted from the table: 0, 1, 100.

Notes

• Any text displayed in angle brackets (e.g., <Alias=LocationHold>) is dynamically set by the Radiant Quest system, and will be filled in with the appropriate word(s) when seen in game.
• Not all Journal Entries may appear in your journal; which entries appear and which entries do not depends on the manner in which the quest is done.
• Stages are not always in order of progress. This is usually the case with quests that have multiple possible outcomes or quests where certain tasks may be done in any order. Some stages may therefore repeat objectives seen in other stages.
• If an entry is marked as "Finishes Quest" it means the quest disappears from the Active Quest list, but you may still receive new entries for that quest.
• On the PC, it is possible to use the console to advance through the quest by entering setstage CR01 stage, where stage is the number of the stage you wish to complete. It is not possible to un-complete (i.e. go back) quest stages, but it is possible to clear all stages of the quest using resetquest CR01.