Well I am very interested in Tamriel's "lost" civilizations, particularly the Ayleids. Recently I have been reading about them, particularly information on them in The Song of Pelinal and The Adabal-a, and from these I can glean that the Ayleids worshiped or had a "contract" with the Daedra. A specifically mentioned one is Meridia, worshipped (or allied with) by Umaril the Unfeathered. Another mentioned deity is "when the Flower King Nilichi made great sacrifice to an insect god named [lost]" (The Adabal-a). My questions are, then, did the Ayleids worship the Daedra or "ally" with them? Also do the Ayleids look like Altmer or Bosmer? and if so why does Umaril look different?

1. They Ayleids did not worship the Daedra. This is best shown in the way the Nine divines are an almagam of the Elven and Nordic phanteons. (ref Shezarr and the Eight) The Ayleids did deal with them, which isn't that different from what everybody else does. It's said that every Lord or Noble of some importance has his own summoning room.

2. The Ayleids are called the Heartland High Elves. So presumably they look like High Elves. In 2920 they're described as a bit more tanned. The way Mankars mother is described in the refugees is presumably a mistake. I wouldn't get all that hung up on it because races are more like cultural identities then physical appearances.

Given that the Eight empowered artifacts to withstand his power, it can be assumed that he was not on good terms with them. And given that the Ayleids were not a unified culture, it is possible that certain city-states did worship the Daedra.

1. Umaril most certainly wasn't. But you shouldn't confuse the few and powerful with the masses of common rice farmers. You don't worship the Daedra when all you really need is a good harvest season. The Daedra just about stop being fun when you're hungry, tired and without a descent place to sleep.

I've always wondered what exactly people mean when they talk about Daedra "worship" anyway. To me, worshipping Daedra, if it means standing around a statue all day, seems a bit... undeveloped? Unimaginative? Commonplace? Can't seem to find the right words here, but I hope you get the point.

Anyway- "worshipping" Daedra in my mind isn't going to some Dark Cathedral, sending continual prayers to someone or anything that "Christian". To me, Daedra "worship" would consist of having a tradition of people asking Daedra for favors once in a while (as in very seldom), and having the Princes play prominent roles in the mythos, and not simply as the "Adversaries".
Kinda like what proweler says, but in a broader sense: The extremely hungry, tired and homeless farmer is more likely to turn to any of the Daedric Princes than farmers of other cultures, because he was brought up with stories of people doing so, where they did not always end up worse off in the end.

So I can add this yet again to my theory that Occato is an Ayliad. In the game, Occato has golden skin that I have not seen on any other high elf in the world. Maybe it is the slightly more tan skin that he gets from his Ayliad upbringing. Maybe? Possibly? Probably not

Ocato's from Firsthold in Summurset. He's unlikely to be Ayleid.

is there a document that states his parents, because an aliyad could live any where. But I'm probably wrong any way.

as to why Umaril appears different, he is "Umaril the Unfeathered" half divine. I do not remember the details, but one of his parents was an Ada, so he is not all elf

you know how oblivion facegen works right? basicaly you just slide a slider along to pick skin color (and oftentimes its also changed depending on what different features you edit), just because the color is different doesnt mean he is a different race. if the faces were made like in morrowind it could have been a clue, but otherwise its just gameplay.

Nope.

I see, I see. Thank you much

lol, you're starting to sound like Glarthir.

meet me behind the chaple at midnight and I'll tell you about all the ayliads that are watching me! I'm a threat to thier plans you see. THEIR ALWAYS WATCHING! BUT THIS FORUM IS TOO PUBLIC, THEY'LL SEE! MEET ME AT THE CHAPPLE AT MIDNIGHT!

You were not behind the chapple at midnight - I sent my man with the hearse to convey you to the crypts under my castle where we normally meet to discuss such things ... he waited until it was almost dawn and fled the rising sun!

It could easily be game mechanics, but:

Though I generally favour the 'Aylieds are absorbed stance' not least because it supports the Mythic Dawn are hokerrs thing i also considered longevity.

Given mer live 500 - 1,000yrs even though they can breed (when they do) at a fairly young age, so 3,000yrs could cover only 3 - 6 lifetimes. Long enough that many living Mer could be talking of their grandfather/mother or great grandfather/mother the famous Ayleid so-and-so. and I suspect that mer are more conscious of their heritage - after all their parents, grandparents, greatgrandparents etc are around long after they reach maturity barring accidents.

So there are likely many genetically distinct/obvious Ayleid types in the population even if the Ayleids as an organised culture decided to call it a day. I truly doubt they ALL went out of their way to breed into the local population - though love is where you find it.

Don't worrit about it VickD - it's a good spot and a fine idea but you will have loads more of them

Where did you get that from? Even Altmer only have a life span of a few hundred years. Most elves don't even reach a hundred and fifty.
Only very wealthy elves (and talented magicians, obviously) reach such a high age as 1000 and above, since only they have access to the kind of good medication and healers needed, combined with that they don't have to work, or risk their lives in any other way.

The life span for Wild Elves would probably be even less than for a Dunmer, since they're essentially live in a harsh hunter-gatherer society nowadays, and have for quite some time. If the ogre or bear don't get them, they probably succumb to disease or infection before they reach their full "age capacity".

ty - you're quite correct! Occato would be just that sort of wealthy elf with access to the best magic and medication. Given Summerset's snobbishness and family orientation that can likely be said for his ancestors too!

Tough on the ordinary folks though.

I always thought Daedra worship was like the shrine communities in Oblivion, or those fancy Daedric shrines in Morrowind. You're just following a Daedric Prince as a deity.

http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/24/glarthirpunchbl7.jpg

Epic..........

I'd assume the Camorans were wealthy, Mankar was said to have been from a line of Kings.

If the Camorans are big names, why did no one in the Imperial City Watch bat an eyelash when Raven Camoran's name turned up on the list of taxees in the first actual Thieves' Guild quest in TES4?

I can't quite tell if you want me to show that Mankar Camoran http://www.elderscrolls.com/news/press_093005.htm, that http://www.imperial-library.info/history/1.shtml are http://www.imperial-library.info/pge3/valenwood.shtmla http://www.imperial-library.info/obbooks/refugees.shtmldynasty or create a weaseling to explain why the name didn't struck any bells, because really how many bells does the name Windsor ring with you?

That is not nice. Don't ever do that again! OMG, YOUR AN AYLIAD TOO AREN'T YOU! YOUR PART OF THEIR PLAN! YOU MUST DIE!

That's the kind of stuff I find a bit silly. I mean, what is the Prince going to do? Stare back at you?
For a Prince like Azura it might make sense, and for Sheogorath too, I guess - attracting lunatics and the like. But for others? It just doesn't seem to fit them.


Yeah, I stared myself blind on 1999's words and misunderstood the whole post. My post wasn't really neccessary, but I didn't get that at the time.