Joyce
"*All the way in Valenwood...*" He says, his voice trailing off, he takes his crown off, clipping it to his belt, revealing his face. He's fairly young, with a bit of scruff to his face, "*My people were in Cyrod when the Alessians started their purge. They hid in a nearby city, building an underground complex in the mountains. I'm a part of a group of scouts, investigating the current state of the world to decide if we should attempt integration, or at the very least revealing ourselves. Currently it seems a bad choice.*"
Jerry
*"I haven't found anyone very... Hospitable to myself. I was hidden for a reason... If you hadn't responded in our Language, I would've killed you."*

*She sat down by the fire. She had a long, feathered cloak. She didn't seem to have the daedric, meridian influences most Ayleids had. She was also quite young, around her 60s.*

*"But I never expected us living in Skyrim of all places."*
Joyce
"The Thalmor and the Empire are likely to be the largest threat to us." He says, "We're uncertain if the Empire still follows the insidious teachings of the Alessian Order." He continues, "We're not located solely in Skyrim. We're located between Cyrod and Skyrim."
Jerry
*"Thalmor? Is that what those... Altmer?.. Call themselves? I don't believe the Empire believe such things anymore... I saw temples to the Eight... I went in one. Akatosh, Stendarr, Mara, Dibella, Kynareth, Julianos, Zenithar, Arkay... Not even their God Shezarr."*

*She pulled her legs to her chest wrapping her arms around them.*

*"But you... You have a City? Still standing?"*
Joyce
"*Yes, the Altmer are currently under the control of an extremist political faction, who believe that the only way to return to their so-called godhood is to destroy humans... Or something.*" He says with a dark chuckle, "*Those are the gods of the Alessian Order. They attempted to unify the pantheons, swearing off Shezarr in the process. At some point in the 2nd Era they added a new God, Talos, but the Thalmor forced them to remove that Ehlnada from the pantheon, that is why they are here, slaughtering civilians. And so the lore repeats.*" He smiles softly, "*Naril Auran still stands. It was a closely guarded secret, the Alessian Order never found it. We've only recently begun investigating the outside world fully.*"
Jerry
*"Our city... Gori-Agea... We foresaw what would happen, we disappeared long before anything happened. We were hidden underground... We foraged and hunted for survival, and ate what would grow. How long was it... 4000 years before we were found? I thought we were the last, truly. I had thought i would never find another... I scoured every Ruin I could in Cyrod... I found nothing."*

*She almost seemed emotional. Tears welled in her eyes just a bit.*
Joyce
"*My ancestors made a point to keep Naril Auran hidden. Even from our own people, only those who helped construct it were told the key to enter.*" He says, "*If word had spread about it we would've been wiped out. Now it's not as hidden.*" He says, offering little in the way of condolences or solace
Jerry
*"Many here don't like the Empire... Or the... Dominion. They just called them Elves. I can't even enter the Western cities... Too Dangerous. It is... Unfortunate that our mere existence is so... Controversial."*

*She wiped her eyes.*

*"I saw a group of those... "Thalmor" Near here not too long ago. They had a prisoner. Some sort of... Dark Elf... I've only seen a few... Do they persecute them?"*
Joyce
He sighs, "*Yes, the locals aren't fond of us mer. I struggle to find a reason to blame them. What with the accursed Chimer's slavery and the Altmer's crusade.*" He continues, "*To our limited knowledge the Thalmor persecute any who do not fully agree with them.*" He says, "*Much like the Alessians of our ancestors time.*"
Jerry
*"We were not innocent."*

*She left it at that. It was stern.*

*"But I feel a discomfort around Men... I cannot trust them. I had visited that city... Windhelm? I was there a few days ago. I had to leave quickly... I felt sick... It was the same feeling i had when i learned of the Whitestrake."*

*She seemed a little scatterbrained, moving to another topic.*

*"What happened to the Dwemer? I didn't know something happened to them until recently... Did they lose to the Men?"*
Joyce
"*Indeed we were not. And we will need to atone for our ancestors misdeeds some day.*" He says,"*Yes the city of Windhelm has a history.*" He continues, "*Built by falmer slaves, likely prisoners of war. Now home of the Nords, and the capital of the Stormcloak rebellion. And with a considerable portion housing Dunmer refugees, living in near squallor.*" He sighs, the sigh nearly hiding a slight chuckle, "*The Dwemer lost to themselves. Thought they could manufacture their own god. And now they're gone. Disappeared without any trace but their ruins, filled with machines that move as if the Dwemer never left.*"
Jerry
*"Their own god..."*

*She pondered that. She didn't know... A lot of things. She didn't know about the Dunmer, the Slavery, any major event other than the great war or the Nedic uprisings. She went along with what he said.*

*"May I... Um... Seek Refuge? With your City?"*
Joyce
"*I would have to speak with the leaders, first. Although seeing as you are of Ayleid decent you would likely be able to take refuge within the outskirts of Naril Auran, the Guardians will protect you.*" He says with a regretful and apologetic tone
Jerry
*"I tire of spending nights in ruins, looking over my shoulder all the time.*"

*She stood up. She took the Welkynd stone from her hip and twisted it, setting it on the ground in the open area near the tent. From it came a horse, in a beam of blue light.*

*"We should get moving in case theres another patrol."*
Joyce
"*Patrols rarely, if ever, check Autumnwatch. We've made sure rumors persist to keep people away.*" He says with a chuckle, then whistles, the sound of stone hitting stone can be heard, as a horse made of stone moves to Umanym's side, he mounts it
Jerry
*She mounted the horse. It was white. It had a faint blue glow beneath its skin with glowing blue eyes. It had a golden saddle with feathers hanging from it.*

*"So what are those... Dunmer. Why are they cursed?"*
Joyce
He chuckles "*The Tribunal, a trio of Chimer used the left over tools from the Dwemer's disappearance to harness the power of the Heart of Lorkhan to become gods.*" He explains, "*It worked, but not without Azura noticing. She cursed the Chimer to become what we know as the Dunmer, their skin grayed and eyes crimson.*"
Jerry
*She laughed.*

*"I've missed a lot then..."* 

*She looked forwards on the road.*

*"How far is your city? I can see the tower you spoke of."*
Joyce
"*Behind the tower, in a sense. Within the mountains.*" He says, "*The entrance can't be seen unless we want it to be seen.*"
Jerry
*"Illusion?"

*She looked up to the tower. It looked normal, though it wasn't.*

*"I've been hiding around here. I'm surprised you haven't found me yet."*
Joyce
He chuckles, "*An illusion like that would be hard to maintain. We use more... Rudimentary means, combined with a bit of magic here and there.*" He grins, "*There are also a few signs of us being here. Those who trespass in that tower don't live long, as we have patrols who sweep the tower regularly.*"
Jerry
*"Ours was a visage of a ruin. A hidden door led into the true structure. Bandits often hid in the above-ground portion. Are your people... Well... Their worship... You know what i mean?"*

*She couldnt figure out a way to bluntly put it.*
Joyce
"*We hold the original traditions. Although a few of our members belong to the Daedra cults.*" He says, "*But we leave the barbarities of our ancestors in the past. There are even a few humans in our midst.*"
Jerry
*"We only worshipped the Eight. I'm personally not opposed to the Daedra..."*

*They were getting closer.*

*"I would never give into Bal or Dagon, though. Even Merid-Nunda... Insidious. It is a slippery slope."*