Cultures of Elsweyr
The Khajiit People
Elsweyr’s culture is defined by the Khajiit, a people whose very forms are shaped by the moons. Born under different phases of Masser and Secunda, Khajiit appear in diverse furstocks, from the housecat-sized Alfiq to the great Senche-tigers, from agile Suthay-raht to the towering Cathay. This lunar diversity creates a society where every form has its role: Senche carry warriors into battle, Alfiq advise with cunning wisdom, and bipedal Khajiit fill roles from merchants to mages. Khajiit identity is fluid yet unified, bound together by reverence for the moons and Azurah, their divine mother. Outsiders often reduce them to stereotypes of thieves or wanderers, but within Elsweyr, Khajiiti culture is complex, communal, and deeply tied to cosmic cycles.
The Lunar Lattice and Spiritual Life
At the heart of Khajiiti culture is the lunar lattice, the mystical relationship between Khajiit and the moons. Masser and Secunda are not merely celestial bodies but divine forces whose phases shape Khajiiti birth and destiny. Religious life is centered on Jone and Jode, personifications of the moons, alongside Azurah, who gave the Khajiit their forms. Lunar priests read the sky, predicting harvests, births, and omens. Festivals are timed to moon phases, and every Khajiit knows the rhythm of Masser and Secunda as intimately as breath. To live in Elsweyr is to live by the moons, and their sudden disappearance during the Void Nights shattered society as no invasion ever could.
The Mane and Unity
The Mane is a unique cultural institution. Born only once in a generation, marked by divine signs, the Mane serves as spiritual and political leader of all Khajiit. Traditionally, the Mane bears the tails of their kin as ceremonial burdens, carried upon litters by attendants, embodying the unity of every furstock. Under the Mane, tribal rivalries between Anequina and Pellitine could be reconciled, and Khajiit identity reaffirmed. Though Imperial rule weakened the Mane’s influence, the institution remains a potent symbol of Khajiiti unity, invoked even under Thalmor dominion as proof that Khajiit are guided by divine order, not foreign dictates.
Anequina and Pellitine Rivalries
Khajiiti culture is historically split between the deserts of Anequina and the fertile plains of Pellitine.
Anequinan Khajiit are hardy and martial, shaped by arid climate and nomadic tradition. They value endurance, honor, and strength, producing horse-riders and desert scouts.
Pellitine Khajiit are agrarian and mercantile, rooted in lush river valleys and coastal trade. They value diplomacy, wealth, and refinement, producing nobles, merchants, and scholars.
These rivalries produced centuries of war, raids, and shifting borders. Even under the Empire, the division persisted, fueling instability. Only through the Mane — or, later, foreign domination — could the two regions be held together.
Moon Sugar and Skooma
Moon sugar is sacred in Khajiiti culture. Grown in the southern cane fields, it is considered crystallized moonlight, a gift of Jone and Jode. Khajiit consume it in food, drink, and ritual, claiming it sustains their spiritual connection to the moons. Refined into skooma, however, moon sugar becomes a narcotic, fueling addiction and crime across Tamriel. This duality — sacred substance at home, illicit drug abroad — shapes Khajiit identity in outsiders’ eyes. Smugglers spread stereotypes of Khajiit as thieves and addicts, while within Elsweyr, moon sugar is revered as holy. To understand Khajiit culture is to understand this paradox.
Religion and Faith
Khajiiti religion is centered on Azurah, Jone, and Jode, but it incorporates a broader pantheon known as the Riddle’Thar Epiphany. This theology, formalized in the First Era, teaches that Khajiit must follow the path of Riddle’Thar, a cosmic order revealed through the moons. Temples blend ritual with practical guidance, teaching both devotion and discipline. Faith is not merely belief but daily practice: offering moon sugar at shrines, honoring ancestors, and observing festivals tied to lunar cycles. Religious leaders hold great authority, shaping law and custom alongside tribal nobles. Unlike the rigid Tribunal or Divines, Khajiiti faith is flexible, mirroring the shifting phases of the moons themselves.
Daily Life
Khajiiti daily life is vibrant and communal. Families are extended, households often spanning multiple furstocks under one roof. Clothing reflects climate: light silks in Pellitine, durable leathers in Anequina, adorned with jewelry and dyed cloths. Meals feature moon-sugar sweetened stews, meats, and spiced breads. Music is central, with drums, flutes, and choral chants accompanying festivals and markets. Storytelling thrives in taverns and caravans, blending myth with humor. Hospitality is prized, especially for travelers, reflecting Khajiit mercantile tradition and wanderlust. For the common Khajiit, life is a rhythm of work, worship, and festivity — always tied to the moons.
Nomads, Caravans, and Trade
Khajiiti culture values movement as much as settlement. Caravans cross Elsweyr’s deserts and borders, trading moon sugar, textiles, and spices for foreign goods. Many Khajiit leave their homeland as merchants, adventurers, or mercenaries, maintaining identity abroad through caravans and kinship. This wandering tradition feeds stereotypes but also spreads Khajiiti influence: wherever caravans go, Khajiiti culture follows. Nomadism is especially strong in Anequina, where desert tribes roam with Senche and horses, binding family and trade together under the stars.
Warfare and Martial Tradition
Though not as renowned as Nords or Redguards, Khajiit are formidable warriors. Their diverse furstocks provide natural specialization: Senche as living cavalry, Cathay-raht as shock troops, Suthay-raht as agile scouts. Martial tradition blends natural agility with moon-guided discipline. Warriors often fight in packs, emphasizing coordination and speed over brute strength. Honor is tied to loyalty rather than conquest: a Khajiit proves worth by defending kin, caravan, or Mane, not by ruling others. This martial culture explains their feared reputation in the Dominion’s armies of the Fourth Era.
Outsiders and Identity
Khajiit are often judged by outsiders through stereotypes of smugglers, mercenaries, and skooma-dealers. While such roles exist, they represent survival strategies born of poverty, Imperial neglect, and Dominion exploitation. Within Elsweyr, Khajiit see themselves as chosen of the moons, heirs of Azurah, and keepers of sacred cycles. Their culture is not shameful but proud, though they laugh easily at outsider misconceptions. This dual perception — divine at home, suspicious abroad — shapes their adaptive, sometimes guarded, approach to foreign relations.
The Void Nights and Thalmor Influence
The Void Nights of 4E 98, when the moons vanished for two years, devastated Khajiiti culture. Without Masser and Secunda, furstock births faltered, faith wavered, and society teetered on collapse. When the moons returned, the Thalmor claimed credit, declaring themselves saviors. Grateful, Khajiit leadership aligned Elsweyr with the Aldmeri Dominion, unifying Anequina and Pellitine under Thalmor oversight. Temples began teaching Thalmor doctrine, and Khajiit warriors marched under Elven banners. While many accepted this as divine deliverance, others whispered that the Khajiit had been deceived. Regardless, the Dominion’s influence became inseparable from Elsweyr’s culture in the Fourth Era.
Legacy of Khajiiti Culture
Elsweyr’s culture is one of cycles, mirroring the moons. Divided into tribes and kingdoms, unified under the Mane, humbled by famine and plague, and drawn into foreign dominion, the Khajiit endure by adapting. Their identity is fluid yet rooted: every furstock, every caravan, every moon sugar ritual ties them to Azurah’s blessing. By 4E 201, Elsweyr was a Dominion province, its people outwardly serving Thalmor masters, but inwardly still Khajiit — proud, communal, and lunar. Their legacy is not empire or conquest but endurance through change, living proof that as long as Masser and Secunda rise, the Khajiit will remain.