Let S be a finite set of primes. We prove that a form of finite Galois descent obstruction is the only obstruction to the existence of $\mathbb {Z}_{S}$ -points on integral models of Hilbert modular varieties, extending a result of D. Helm and F. Voloch about modular curves. Let L be a totally real field. Under (a special case of) the absolute Hodge conjecture and a weak Serre’s conjecture for mod $\ell $ representations of the absolute Galois group of L, we prove that the same holds also for the $\mathcal {O}_{L,S}$ -points.

Let $F$ be a totally real field, and $v$ a place of $F$ dividing an odd prime $p$. We study the weight part of Serre’s conjecture for continuous totally odd representations $\overline{{\it\rho}}:G_{F}\rightarrow \text{GL}_{2}(\overline{\mathbb{F}}_{p})$ that are reducible locally at $v$. Let $W$ be the set of predicted Serre weights for the semisimplification of $\overline{{\it\rho}}|_{G_{F_{v}}}$. We prove that, when $\overline{{\it\rho}}|_{G_{F_{v}}}$ is generic, the Serre weights in $W$ for which $\overline{{\it\rho}}$ is modular are exactly the ones that are predicted (assuming that $\overline{{\it\rho}}$ is modular). We also determine precisely which subsets of $W$ arise as predicted weights when $\overline{{\it\rho}}|_{G_{F_{v}}}$ varies with fixed generic semisimplification.

Let $p\gt 2$ be prime, and let $F$ be a totally real field in which $p$ is unramified. We give a sufficient criterion for a $\mathrm{mod} \hspace{0.167em} p$ Galois representation to arise from a $\mathrm{mod} \hspace{0.167em} p$ Hilbert modular form of parallel weight one, by proving a ‘companion forms’ theorem in this case. The techniques used are a mixture of modularity lifting theorems and geometric methods. As an application, we show that Serre’s conjecture for $F$ implies Artin’s conjecture for totally odd two-dimensional representations over $F$.