Ayleid Cities

[Malchik]

I have visited many of the c50 Ayleid ruins and have yet to figure out exactly what they are ruins of. The meagre literature available suggests they might have been the inner protected areas of the rulers. One assumes the towns themselves were above ground but made of wood and materials that have been destroyed. But if so, where did the rulers live? And how? There doesn't appear to be anything cosy and room like. Perhaps they were merely of religious use as there are too many altar-like things for them to be stone tables. If they were tables then I assume there was little consumption of alcoholic beverages. Stumble on leaving you could be mashed to red juice in an instant.

 

At least with the Daedric sites in MW you could make sense of them. So I ask the forum. How exactly were these buildings used?

[silverstar]

Castle dungeons/jails, religious temples and military outposts.

[Stampede]

Yes, by reading one or two accounts, they seemed to be quite a martial race... strange mixture of pristine architecture and cruel pasttimes. At least that is what I have been lead to believe so far.

[Sordid]

Hm, those altar-like things seem more like sarcophagi to me, so my guess is they're burial places. Maybe the cities were built of wood and the ruler's palace was constructed above the tombs. They're quite ancient, after all, so it's logical to assume the people of cyrodiil used them as construction material source and literally took apart what they could.

A significant portion of the Imperial City is supposed to be Ayleid as well (the central spire, and by the looks of it also the walls), and the ruins have a similar circular layout. My guess is that each had a similar central spire, due to their lesser importance perhaps only partially built of stone.

[von Dragunewich]

It's like the Egyptans. Only the religious buildings have endured the time, because they were built for enternity, the palaces and housings needed to hold only a lifetime, but the tempels and other ceremonial buildings were for the afterlife/enternity, so they were built wery tough... makes kind'a sense, no?

 

PS - sry for the spelling

[SoulBlazer_87]

I'm buffled too. However he Ayleids were powerfull mages right? So I guess they used them to focus their power. It makes me wonder though... If they were as powerfull as they were supposed to be why couldn't they enchant their buildings and make them las forever? Anyway I don't know much about Tamriel and the game doesn't really reveal much...

[Stampede]

It's like the Egyptans. Only the religious buildings have endured the time, because they were built for enternity, the palaces and housings needed to hold only a lifetime, but the tempels and other ceremonial buildings were for the afterlife/enternity, so they were built wery tough... makes kind'a sense, no?

 

PS - sry for the spelling

 

 

Actually I agree with that point. It is only the palaces and burial mounds that really survived through the years, the remains of the cities were pretty much broken down over time.

[Ramengelion]

Yes, it doesn't make sense that they would trap their every day buildings. These seem more for religious means, the mystical use of the stones, the altars, the thrones, all for their Gods. That is what makes sense to me. Also you'd wanna be burried in a Chapel if you are Christian right? (I'm not sure on Christian beliefs about that stuff....)

[VaanicOne]

All of the Surviving ruins are underground sanctuaries. These sanctuaries can either be for the dead, the noble, or the faithful. There are more examples of tombs than any other type of sanctuary.

 

Vilverin appears to take the form of a underground vault - both for Expensive goods AND slaves. Also, there is a small tomb near the summit of the structure.

 

There are at least 2 examples of underground palaces - both are hinted at originating from the post-merethic era - or "first era" as it is known. The underground nature of the Palaces is clear evidence of the constant civil war being fought by Ayleid kings after the fall of White Gold Tower to the Alessian slaves.

 

The presence of Light emitting stones, or "Welkynd" stones as they are known - is due to the fact that Ayleids never recognised Fire as one of the four elements, instead they believed that it was a weak form of the Element LIGHT. Indeed, the Ayleids were worshippers of Magnus, the sun, and one of those who fled at Lorkhans Trickery. Hence - the Ayleids lit their sanctuaries with the purest from of magick and light.

 

An example of an Ayleid temple Sanctuary lies within the great forest - though I forget the name.

[dreth]

It's possible that they were built as a proving ground. Mabey the rulers had to get past all the traps to show that they were "chosen". Or, mabey it was a show of force. The cities could have been built to show to other races that they were powerful enough to create these long lasting area. Finally, another reason could be that slaves that rebeled would be thrown in and force to fight for survival. This would be ment to show to other slaves what happened for rebeling.