For this one to understand our people, Khajiit must tell you a tale. A tale all Clan Mothers tell to their Khajiiti kittens. The tale of how this world - Nirn - came to be.
The origin of the sleek and clever Khajiit (and the other races) started with two littermates; Ahnurr and Fadomai. This is true to all Khajiit.
Ahnuur and Fadomai felt lonely with just the two of them, and so Fadomai gave birth to the first cat, Alkosh. To Alkosh was given the guardianship of time, and whose birth prompted Ahnurr and Fadomai to bring forth further life into the world.
Thus they created Khenarthi, guardian of the winds; Magrus, guardian of the sun; Mara, guardian of love; and S'rendarr, guardian of mercy.
In time, Ahnurr and Fadomai wished to share the happiness that they felt in life with further children. And so, Fadomai gave birth to Hermorah of the tides; Hircine of hunger; Merrunz of destruction; Mafala of the Clan Mothers; Sangiin of blood and life; Sheggorath of insanity; and many, many others.
Khajiit is sure you have heard of others with similar, if not the same, names. This one can assure you that they are not the same beings. The Khajiiti tale of the gods is the only true truth.
Now back to the tale, hmm?
Ahnurr decided to stop having children as further offspring would dilute their own happiness. However, Fadomai was persuaded by Khenarthi - who had grown lonely in the realm of winds - to give birth to further children.
This she did, bringing forth Nirni, the majestic sands and lush forests; Azurah, the dusk and the dawn; as well as the Moons and their Motions, Jone and Jode.
It was at the time of her birthing that Fadomai was caught by Ahnurr who, angered at her trickery and disobedience, struck Fadomai. She, fearing for her and her children's lives, fled with her children to the Great Darkness and hid. While in hiding, Fadomai gave birth to her final child, Lorkhaj.
Having been born amidst the Great Darkness, we Khajiit believe that Lorkhaj's heart was filled with that very same Darkness. Thus the Great Darkness was made aware of itself and came to be known as Namiira.
Amidst the darkness, surrounded by her children, Fadomai realized her death was near. She set the moons, Jone and Jode, in the skies to guide her children and protect them from Ahnurr's wrath. She gave Nirni her "greatest gift," proclaiming that she would give birth to as many children as Fadomai had. Nirni was pleased as Azurah, whom she routinely squabbled with, had been left with nothing.
Protected by the Lunar Lattice, the children of Fadomai left - all but Azurah.
In the silence and void her siblings' absence created, Azurah approached her mother and was then given her gifts in the form of three secrets.
She was told to take one of Nirni's children and change them making them the fastest, cleverest, and most beautiful of creatures, and to name them the Khajiit; second, that they must be fashioned as the best climbers, all the better to climb upon the winds of Khenarthi's breath and set Masser and Secunda aright, lest they fail; lastly, that the Khajiit must be the best deceivers - able to hide their true nature from others.
Then Fadomai died and Azurah left to join her kin.
After their mother's death, Nirni approached Lorkhaj, whom she asked to create a dwelling for her children. He did so, and yet the Great Darkness in his heart forced him to deceive his siblings so that they were trapped in the new place with Nirni. Some managed to escape death and become the stars. Those who remained punished Lorkhaj by tearing out his heart and hiding it deep within Nirni so he would forever be with the one he had done the most harm.
Among the new world of Lorkhaj's creation Nirni gave birth to her children, who were many, but wept bitter tears for her favorites - the forest people - who did not know their proper shape.
It was at this time that Azurah came forth and comforted her, taking some of the forest people and placing them in the deserts and forests, where she fashioned them in many forms. One for each purpose they might need. Having done so, Azurah named them the sleek and clever Khajiit. Azurah taught the Khajiit the secrets entrusted to her and bound Khajiit to the Lunar Lattice.
The first to hear of these secrets was Y'ffer, who told Nirni of Azurah's deeds. Nirni, in retribution for her changed, and now lost, children, made the deserts hot and sands biting, and filled the forests with water and poison.
To separate her beloved children from those of Azurah, she allowed Y'ffer to change those who remained so that they would always be of the mer and never beasts. The new forests people were named the Bosmer.
From that moment forth, the two different strands of the forest people were eternally separated and, just as their makers, bound in animosity with the other.
This tale is true and why we Khajiit hate the Bosmer so. Khajiit are by far the quickest and most clever, yes? After all, Khajiit are bound to Jone and Jode themselves!
Though this tale is the true truth, others will try to tell you otherwise.
Ignorant Imperial scholars will tell this one that Khajiit are descendents of a race of great cats from the desert regions of Nirn. These ones believe their claim is proven by fragmented letters that were discovered by some Aldmeri adventurer.
Fah! How could an Aldmeri know of the tale of the Khajiit?
The truth? The race of great cats these ones speak of are Senche-raht - a breed of Khajiit. Senche-raht are not a different race, but are also Khajiit. You see, Khajiit born under different moon phases are different breeds than one another.
But this one wouldn't understand unless they were Khajiit.
Khajiit hopes that this one has at least a little bit more of an understanding about our people. Until we meet again, may your road lead you to warm sands.
Author's Note: I've been wanting to write an Elder Scrolls fanfiction with my Elder Scrolls online characters for SOOOOOOOOO long! Well, more like two months, but it has felt like forever! This would be the very first story that I have thought up that already has a beginning, middle, and end. I would like to thank the factory job that I got the last week of August. Two and a half hours at a time - for 9 hours - alone. With just my thoughts.
For my readers of Hello Again: I have not forgotten about the story - or about you guys. I have a very detailed outline of the next chapter already typed up… I just happen to be one of those writers that do better with writing on pen and paper… not typing it up directly from my brain. So how I write: write it in a notebook, type it up, proofread take a break, proofread it one last time, and then I finally post it.
I thank all of you for being so patient and putting up with me.
~ DJ-Kyoto