Irileth is a Dunmer nightblade and the housecarl of Jarl Balgruuf the Greater. She lives in Dragonsreach and rarely leaves the jarl’s side – which is why your very first meeting with her usually involves a drawn sword and a firm question about what you want with him.
Personality
Blunt, suspicious and fiercely loyal, Irileth takes her job as protector of the jarl extremely seriously. She is not a Nord, which makes her one of only a handful of non-Nord housecarls in Skyrim, and she has clearly earned her place through skill rather than birth.
Role in the main quest
In Dragon Rising, Irileth leads the Whiterun guards to the Western Watchtower to face the dragon Mirmulnir, and she fights alongside you in your first dragon battle. It is one of the few times you will see her outside Dragonsreach.
Civil War
Irileth returns in the civil war questline, where she defends Whiterun with Balgruuf – as an ally if you side with the Empire, or as an enemy if you join the Stormcloaks.
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