» Wed Jun 06, 2012 5:39 pm
Derkeethus' essential status is a bug* and because of that bug, he will not stay at any home (or Sky Haven Temple) and will instead return to Darkwater Crossing; also, Darkwater Pass is a difficult dungeon for a low-level character. Scouts-Many-Marshes and Shahvee are fine stay-at-home spouses, but their quests are radiant and may not be accessible when trying to get them.**
*Before any one criticizes Bethesda over it, it's a very tiny, easily-missed bug that's connected to a good reason: Derkeethus is not essential by default, but his rescue quest makes him essential until it stops, and it won't stop until he reaches home -- it stops him from being killed on the way back to Darkwater Crossing, especially if the player leads him out the back door of the pass. He is also not the only essential follower -- Mjoll and Cicero are also essential.
**This can be solved by doing other quests of the same "type". That's a little vague, but I'll clarify if needed.