Exploring the Ayleids: A Remastered Look at Oblivion’s Lost Civilization

The Chaotic Tale of the Ayleid Elves

You ever get lost in a video game world, and suddenly wonder who built all this ancient stuff you’re traipsing through? That’s me with Oblivion Remastered. Seriously, the Ayleid ruins are everywhere. Like, who were these folks? And why does no one talk about them?

Picture this: a time way before the game’s main events, where these Ayleid elves ruled over Cyrodiil. Yeah, before humans and all that. But here’s a twist, they got overthrown. Surprise, surprise! Humans and beastfolk decided enough was enough. I mean, typical, right?

Now, fast-forward a bit, and every now and then, a few Ayleids pop back. Kind of like, “Hey, remember us?” King Dynar and Umaril the Unfeathered, if you’re into names. But, man, these Ayleids weren’t saints. They worshipped Meridia… and, oh, loved necromancy? And enslaved humans. Not a great rep, honestly.

Their cities are like ghost towns now, just waiting for someone to explore their mysteries. If you’re playing Oblivion Remastered, you’ll wander into these ruins, bits of their history just… lingering. It’s like the game’s trying to say, “There’s more than meets the eye.” But casually, like in an offhanded, “by the way” kind of style. The kind of thing that makes you scratch your head and think, “Huh, I didn’t know that!”

The Ayleids: Long Gone, but Not Forgotten

Anyway, a zillion years ago, the elves left their homeland because of something called the Sundering of Aldmeris. Sounds dramatic, right? They scattered across Tamriel, and the Ayleids decided to settle in Cyrodiil. Built grand city-states and even the White-Gold Tower. I bet it was a pretty sweet real estate deal from the bird-people of Cyrodiil. Didn’t just stop at literacy lessons, though… also collected magical stardust or whatever. Fancy, fancyy.

Speaking of stars, they were obsessed. Stargazers, through and through. Built magicka wells (check those out) and loved their crystals, Welkynd Stones, for lighting up their underground digs. These elves had it all mapped out. Sometimes I wonder if they didn’t get too ambitious…

Meridia and Other Daedra: A Chaotic Pantheon

So, Meridia. Life and Light. A beacon, if you will. The Ayleids were all about building monuments and singing her praises. But, plot twist—Meridia wasn’t the only Daedra they warmed up to. They weren’t picky, these elves. I mean, sure, Despotic and necromancy aren’t typical Sunday offerings, but here we are.

Meridia’s origin story is wild. She’s linked to Magnus, who left the sky wide open, spilling magic everywhere. But unlike her cosmic kin, she stuck around. Maybe she liked the chaos a bit more than she let on? Who knows. The Ayleids probably loved the drama of it all, feeding off whatever power they could find.

Rise and Fall: From Masters to Memories

Humans showed up, and the Ayleids were like, “Guess what, you’re working for us now.” Classic move. But brutality was their game. Remember those mythic bird-people? Yeah, they probably bit the dust as well. Until Alessia flipped the script. Divine interventions, demigods, and whatnot. Cue the end of Ayleid rule, and the start of the First Empire.

But the story never ends neatly, does it? The Ayleids who survived did try to be chill, living peacefully with humans. But the Alessian Order? Not fans. Stripped elves’ rights, pushing them into corners. Soon, Ayleids were fading into history, remembered only by the crumbling ruins and the occasional adventurous soul stumbling upon them.

Survival Against All Odds

Even with all the upheaval, a few Ayleids refused to disappear entirely. King Dynar sat out history in Coldharbour because, why not? Resurfacing thanks to the Vestige. And then whispers of Umaril. The saga continues—or, it tries to. Who can say? The past is a weird, mysterious place…