Something went wrong. Try again later
    Follow

    Khajiit

    Concept »

    The Khajiit are a cat-like race from the Elder Scrolls series who come from the province of Elsweyr and one of the ten playable races throughout the series.

    Short summary describing this concept.

    No recent wiki edits to this page.

    Hailing from the Province of Elsweyr, the Khajiit are an intelligent feline like species. Just like felines, they are known for their grace and acrobatic nature, being able to leap from tree-to-tree or across rooftops in the more civilized world. Khajiit have acute eyesight and are able to see well, even in pitch-black situations. While these abilities make Khajiit extremely capable thieves, they are also well trained in the martial arts, making fearsome warriors on the battlefield. They have no natural inclination towards the arcane arts, but through dedicated focus and training many have made names for themselves within the Mages Guilds.

    In The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

    Base Attributes:

    • Males: Str 40, Int 40, Will 30, Agi 50, Spd 40, End 30, Per 40, Luck 40
    • Females: Str 30, Int 40, Will 30, Agi 50, Spd 40, End 40, Per 40, Luck 40

    Skill Modifiers, Khajiit characters get the following skill bonuses at character creation:

    • 15 to Acrobatics.
    • 5 to Athletics, Hand-to-Hand, Light Armor, Security, Short Blade, and Sneak

    Additionally, Khajiit will also receive two spells:

    • Eye of Night: provides a moderate powered Night-Eye (50) effect for 30 seconds.
    • Eye of Fear: a powerful Demoralize Humanoid (100) effect for 30 seconds on Target. Can only be used once every 24-hours.

    Note: Like Argonians, Khajiit are considered to be a "Beast-race", as such they cannot wear shoes or boots of any sort and they can only wear helmets with an open face, severely limiting their options in headgear. The official explanation for the different body shape in Oblivion and subsequent games is that the playable Khajiit are a slightly different breed, though no explanation is forthcoming for the similar change to the Argonians.

    In The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

    Base Attributes:

    • Males: Str 40, Int 40, Will 30, Agi 50, Spd 40, End 30, Per 40, Luck 50
    • Females: Str 30, Int 40, Will 30, Agi 50, Spd 40, End 40, Per 40, Luck 50

    Skill Modifiers, Khajiit characters get the following skill bonuses at character creation:

    • 10 to Acrobatics and Hand-to-Hand
    • 5 to Athletics, Blade, Light Armor, Security, and Sneak

    Khajiit also receive a lesser-power and greater-power:

    • Eye of Night: provides Night-Eye for 30 seconds.
    • Eye of Fear: Demoralize (100) for 30 seconds on Target. Can only be used once every 24-hours.

    Culture and Society

    The Khajiit have no distinct central authority, instead they are a loose confederacy of many kingdoms, generally split between the Southern agricultural and mercantile city-dwellers, and the nomadic, tribal and territorial Khajiit of the northern deserts and grasslands. The mane has an unnoficial head-of-state, known as the Mane, although due to the disparate natures of the northern and souther Khajiit, much of the real power lies in the hands of the Clan Mothers, whom are thought to control the flow of moon-sugar.

    One thing that unites all Khajiit is the harvest, export, and consumption of moon sugar. The Khajiit believe this narcotic substance to be a gift from the heavens, a form of crystallized-moonlight. Many Khajiit find themselves addicted to this substance, and "sugar-tooths" litter the streets of their mercantile capitals. A particularly strong variant of distilled moon-sugar, known as skooma, is highly addictive and traffic of the substance is illegal by Imperial law.

    The Khajiit have a unique origin story, passed down through the generations by the Clan Mothers. It is told all life was created as a result of two 'littermates' Ahnurr and Fadomai, who wishing to share their happiness with children birthed a litter. From this union came forth Alkosh, guardian of time; Khenarthi, guardian of the winds; Magrus, guardian of the sun; Mara, guardian of love; and S'rendarr the Runt, guardian of mercy. Over time, Ahnurr and Fadomai wished to share their love and had another litter: Hermorah of the tides, Hircine of hunger, Merrunz of destruction, Mafala of the Clan Mothers, Sangiin of blood and Sheggorath of insanity.

    Ahnurr and Fadomai decided two litters was enough, and that anymore would steal some of their happiness away. But Khenarthi was lonely in the heavens and wished for some siblings. Her mother, Fadomai took pity and tricked Ahnurr to get pregnant with her third litter. Fadomai gave birth to the moons, Jode (Massar) and Jone (Secunda); to Nirni, of the sands and the forests, and to Azurah of the twilight. From the moment of their births, Nirni and Azurah were rivals to their mother's favor.

    Ahnurr caught Fadomai while she was birthing and angered by her trickery, he struck her. Fadomai fled into The Great Darkness, taking all of her children with her. It was here she gave birth to her last child, Lorkhaj whose heart became evil. With his birth, The Great Darkness "knew it's name" and became Namiira. Fadomai took the two moons and created a barrier in the sky, protecting her children from the wrath of their father. Knowing her own time was near, Fadomai gave Nirni a great gift: Nirni was to give birth to many children. Nirni was pleased, especially so when she saw Azurah had nothing.

    But after Fadomai's children all had left, only Azurah remained. It was then that Fadomai gave her favourite daughter the greatest gifts, the gifts of her three secrets. Azurah was told to take Nirni's children, and from one of them make the best, called the Khajiit. The Khajiit would be the fastest, the smartest and the most beautiful of all. Nirni, though grateful for her mother's gift, was upset as she had no place for them. She approached her brother Lorkhaj, who said he would make a world for them. However, his heart still full of evil from The Great Darkness, his tricked his siblings and trapped them all in his new world with Nirni. Many of Fadomai's children died as they fought back, some escaping to the stars and some gave their lives to make Nirni's new world stable. Outraged with Lorkhaj, they tore out his heart and placed it deep inside Nirn, so he could never forgot what he had done.

    Nirni was able to forgive Lorkhaj, as she now had a world for her children, but she cried as her favourites, the forest people, did not know their shape, being stuck between man and beast. Azurah, speaking the first secret of Fadomai and opening the moons, comforted Nirni and took some of the forest people and in her wisdom changed them to many different forms, each with their own purpose and named them the Khajiit. She spoke to them the second secret, binding the Khajiit to the Lunar Lattice and when she was done, spoke the third and final secret, the light of the moons shining down onto the marshes and making them sugar.

    While speaking the secrets, the first was heard by Y'ffre who used them to sneak past the Lattice and speak to Nirni. He told her what Azurah had done, Nirni angry at her sister, let Y'ffre change the rest of the forest people, who made them into Elves and they became the Bosmer, and so the forest people were eternally divided, Bosmer and Khajiit.

    It is through this story that the Khajiit explain their unique bindings to the moon (see Khajiit Physiology, below), as well as they long held animosity towards the Bosmer. The story holds obvious parallels with the creation myths of some of the other races of Tamriel, notably the names of the children of Ahnurr and Fadomai bear striking resemblances to many of the Daedra and the Nine Divines, as do many of the spheres of which they reign. Despite this, the Khajiit maintain that theirs is the true origin of the people of Nirn.

    Khajiit Physiology

    Although at birth Khajiiti all are similar in appearance, as they mature they can take many different forms, based on the phases of the two moons Massar and Secunda at the time of their birth. In their native tongue, they call this the ja'Kha'jay or 'Lunar Lattice.'

    Massar PhaseSecunda PhaseFormDescription
    FullNewPahmarQuadrupedal and resembles a tiger.
    FullWaxingSenche-RahtSlower and larger, often up to twice the height of an Altmer, than the Senche. Like their smaller brethen used in steed, mainly in battle. Imperial soldiers refer to them sometimes as "battle cats."
    FullWaningPahmar-RahtSimilar to the Pahmar, only much larger in size.
    FullFullSencheStanding as tall as an Altmer on all fours, used as a steed by other Khajiiti.
    NewNewSuthaySimilar to the Suthay-Raht, only much smaller in stature.
    NewWaxingOhmes-RahtLook similar to humans, even walking on their heels and not their toes like many of their brethren. Apart from their tail and a short, fine fur that covers them they are hard to differentiate from men at a distance. This is the form of Khajiiti encountered in The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall.
    NewWaningSuthay-RahtOne of the most common forms, especially amongst those seen outside of Elsweyr. They have a wide range of fur colors and patterns. This is the form of Khajiiti encountered in The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.
    NewFullOhmesRemarkably similar to the Bosmer. Ohmes Khajiiti will tattoo feline features onto their faces in order to remain distinctive from the wood elves. This is the form of Khajiiti encountered in The Elder Scrolls: Arena.
    WaxingNewTojayVery little is known about this form, other than that they live in the marshes and jungles in the south of their province.
    WaxingWaxingCathay-RahtLarger and even stronger than the Cathay, Cathay-Raht are sometimes called "Jaguar-men."
    WaxingWaningTojay-RahtVery little is known, they are thought to be larger forms of Tojay.
    WaxingFullCathaySimilar to Suthay-raht, only larger and much stronger.
    WaningNewDagiA rarely seen form, they live high up in the trees of the Tenmar forest, and are able to move with an unnatural grace and without making any noise.
    WaningWaxingAlfiq-RahtNothing is known, most likely larger versions of the Alfiq.
    WaningWaningDagi-RahtA larger form of, and just as rarely seen as, the Dagi. They are thought to be competent spellcasters.
    WaningFullAlfiqVery small and quadrupedal, resembling a housecat. Though they cannot speak themselves, they are still as intelligent as the other Khajiiti and can understand speech. Some texts theorize that they may be spellcasters themselves.

    There is also a much rarer form, known as a "Mane" who are only born when the two moons align. Manes are treated with great reverence amongst the Khajiiti, and there is only though to be one Mane alive at any time. In ancient times, a Khajiit would shave off their own locks and braid it into the Mane's mane. As this became harder as the Khajiiti grew and expanded through their province, the current Mane only takes the locks of their own tribe and their personal battle-guard. Still, due to the sheer weight of these extra braids and locks, the Mane cannot move under their own power and is carried through their tribal lands on a palanquin by a group of Cathay-Raht.

    sizepositionchange
    sizepositionchange
    positionchange
    positionchange
    positionchange
    bordersheaderpositiontable
    positionchange

    This edit will also create new pages on Giant Bomb for:

    Beware, you are proposing to add brand new pages to the wiki along with your edits. Make sure this is what you intended. This will likely increase the time it takes for your changes to go live.

    Comment and Save

    Until you earn 1000 points all your submissions need to be vetted by other Giant Bomb users. This process takes no more than a few hours and we'll send you an email once approved.