My Interview With a Cathay-Raht

by WonkyDonkus

An interview conducted by renowned Bosmeri author Severil Sapboot with one of the fabled Cathay-Raht also known as the Jaguar Men.

My Interview with a Cathay-Raht

By

Severil Sapboot

177th year of the 4th Era

20th of Sun's Height,

Sun's Rest

For the past year I have been researching the lucrative, and morally challenging, business of skin-trapping which is the act of capturing beastfolk such as the Khajiit and

Argonians for the purpose of selling their hides. My research took me all over the south of Tamriel beginning on the outskirts of Black Marsh. I visited many of the

villages that have been raided by skin-trappers primarily concerned with why the inhabitant do not retreat further into the marsh where they might be protected by the

harsh environment only Argonians can survive. The most common answer I found was that many did not want to lose the wealth gained from Imperial trade routes, but

due to the lack of a unified kingdom in Black Marsh, there was little means of fortification for these villages leaving the inhabitant vulnerable to attacks.

After my time in Black Marsh I traveled to my homeland of Valenwood, the top contributing factor to the skin trade. The wealthy elite of cities like Elden Root,

Greenheart, and Woodhearth are willing to pay a great deal for Khajiiti and Argonian hides. I interviewed a large sample of the population in each of these cities to figure

out the general attitude toward this type of trade. It seems the wealthier the subject the more ambivalent they were about the skin trade. Some of them even appeared

to be wearing cloaks and shawls made from the skin Khajiits as I interviewed them and they would stroke Khajiiti accesories as they defended their right to purchase the

skins.

My final destination was Elsweyr home to the Khajiit and primary sufferer to the skin trade. It is here where I met my most fascinating interviewee, the Cathay-Raht

Khajiit known by the name and title Muto "the Massive". For those of you unfamiliar with the intricacies of the physiological variances in the Khajiit race, please, allow

me to explain. The physical appearance of every newborn Khajiit is entirely dependent on the phases of the moons Masser and Secunda. They have a number of forms

they can be born which can vary from the tiger-like Senche Khajiits to the Alfiq Khajiits which are indistinguishable from the common housecat. In between these forms

are many bipedal variations like the Suthay-Raht which is the most common variation of Khajiit one might interact with outside of Elsweyr, or in this case the Cathay-

Raht.

The Cathay-Raht variation of Khajiit is born while both Masser and Secunda are in their waxing phase. The thing that set it apart from all other variations is that Cathay-

Raht is the largest bipedal variation of Khajiit often standing several heads taller than the average Altmer. Muto, the Cathay-Raht I met with stood to be nearly twice my

height. He had a dark brown coat of fur that turned white around his eyes. He had a small crop of hair that was gathered into a small ponytail atop his head. He was

armed with the largest greatsword I have ever seen. It was longer than my entire body and was large enough that he could have cleaved me right down the middle from

the top of my head to my groin and it would not have taken him two seconds. He wore little in the way of armor or even clothes for that matter. He wore a simple

leather strap across his chest with pouches along it and a dirty green loincloth that hung just above his knees. We met in the northern city of Riverhold in Elsweyr in a

crowded tavern full of Khajiits of all breeds as well as a surprising number of Imperials, no doubt they merchants flocking back to their businesses after the Great War.

For the purposes of this interview I shall be writing in a different format than most readers might be accustom to. When I am speaking I shall write my name as "Me"

and place a dash mark like this "–" to indicate my line of dialogue. I shall do the same for Muto like this "Muto –". A bit of explanation about how Khajiit speak. They

often refer to themselves in the third person or refer to themselves as "this one", and with that the interview begins now.

Me – "Muto the Massive, thank you very much for meeting with me. I heard about you and your mercenary company, and I knew I just had to interview and record

your story. During this interview I would also like to discuss the trade known to many as skin-trapping. I am sure you are aware that the Bosmer are the largest

contributors to this trade so as a Bosmer myself I have grown up watching peddlers on the street trying to push Khajiit and Argonian hides onto people as they stroll by.

I personally find the trade revolting and terribly immoral especially considering our nations' stance as allies, but it is a trade I find interesting as well given that there is

clearly a demand for it. So Mr. Muto sir I would like to start this interview by learning a bit more about you. As I mentioned earlier you belong to a mercenary company.

Could you tell me about this company?

Muto – "This one is founder and leader of the Iron Tail Mercenary Company. We are a company of only Cathay-Raht Khajiit. All that remains of my tribe."

Me – "Fascinating, and tragic of course. What kind of jobs does you company usually take."

Muto – "We specialize in killing skin-trappers, any contract presented to us that involves the extermination of these vermin takes priority. We also take work as

bodyguards, and sometimes we are hired for our skills in persuasion."

Me – "Pretty standard mercenary work it would seem. Was your company hired to fight during the Great War?"

Muto – "Thalmor pawns came to us many times for that very purpose but we said no each time. The petty squabbles between nations are of no interest to us. The

Thalmor are like the Desert Khajiit that once rivaled this one's tribe. Greedy."

Me – "I see, well, moving on. You are very massive as your name admits, and as I understand this is quite normal for your breed correct?"

Muto – "Muto is very large even for Cathay-Raht. This one was born into the Raj-do'Raht. We are all Cathay-Raht, with one exception, and we are stronger than any

other Khajiit."

Me – "You mentioned there was one exception. What was that?"

Muto – "Only Cathay-Raht can belong to the tribe with exception for one Senche-Raht. Senche-Raht is the biggest Khajiit, but the least organized. It was important that

all Cathay-Raht learn to be stronger than Senche-Raht. Ours was called the Great Cat of Trials. One cub-bearer and cub-planter would be given the honor to birth the

Great Cat. When a cub came of age in our tribe they would defeat the Great Cat of Trials in three trials of strength."

Me – "Very fascinating indeed. Now could you tell me what these trials were? What did they entail?"

Muto – "The first trial is the Trial of the Fang Pull. Cathay-Raht and the Great Cat place a long piece of hide in their mouths and pull against each other until the hide

snaps. The second trial is the Trial of the Ring. Cathay-Raht and the Great Cat stand in a ring drawn by the Clan Mother and must work to push the other out of the ring.

The final trial is the Trial of the Paralyzing Strike. Cubs learn the technique of striking the Great Cat upon the nose effectively sending him into paralysis temporarily. The

Great Cat of Trials is given a great feast before each strike. We had to keep our Great Cat happy."

Me – "How did the tribe ensure that everyone was a Cathay-Raht? After all the forms taken by the Khajiit is determined by the stages of the moons."

Muto – "The Raj-do'Raht had a time of the year set for mating to ensure all cubs were Cathay-Raht. When the time came to welcome our new members our Clan

Mother would hold a grand celebration. The cub-bearers were held high with great honor. However sometimes cubs came too soon or too late. Weakness was not

permitted in the tribe, and anything below Cathay-Raht is a Khajiit of weakness. A special celebration is held for the cub-bearers and cub-planters of weak Khajiit. We did

not wish to punish them but weakness could not be allowed. After the celebration they were given blessings and supplies from the Clan Mother and then exiled from the

tribe."

Me – "That seems rather harsh. Was there no place for Khajiit who were not Cathay-Raht?"

Muto – "No."

Me – "Oh, er, ahem, well it sounds like your tribe had a very unique and intriguing culture. Moving to the focus of my research, skin-trapping. I understand that this

awful business had a hand in the fate of you tribe. Would you be willing to tell me what happened?"

Muto – "We Khajiit of the Raj-do'Raht were famous for our strength and combat prowess. We had successfully been fighting off skin-trappers for generations sometime

even helping neighboring tribes. But the ambition of the trappers grew. Our tribe stood at a strength of one hundred and fifty powerful Cathay-Raht warriors and thirty-

two cubs. We could easily defeat a force three times our size, so the trappers produced a force six times our size. They recruited the aid of two Khajiiti tribes. Selfish

desert Khajiit who wanted control of our jungle. I believe they also had a sizable mercenary force along with the trappers themselves. In honorable battle we still would

have bested this force, but they ambushed us. They waited until one of our hunting parties went out ambushing them first then when we sent out a search party they

attacked full force. First the trappers sent in their battle trolls to scatter us then while we were distracted with the trolls, mercenaries and rival Khajiit they began the

caging. It was better for them to catch live Khajiit in order to prevent the fur from being soiled by dripping blood. We had been surrounded but a small party of Cub

Guard led by our Clan Mother cut through our enemies and led the cubs out of the village. This one had recently been bestowed the title of Cub Guard by the Clan

Mother after Muto completed his trials. This is why Muto was on the escape party and why this one is still alive today. The skin-trappers caught the rest of the tribe and

sold their skins."

Me – "That is truly, truly tragic Muto, but at least some of you survived. How many is left of your tribe?

Muto – "All that remained of the mighty Raj-do'Raht were nine Cub Guards, twenty cubs, our Clan Mother, and Juno our Clan Mother's apprentice. We traveled north

through the desert toward Orcrest. However, two Cub Guards died in the trek across the desert when they succumbed to injuries sustained from the battle and four

cubs died of dehydration. Three more cubs died of fatigue just before we reached Orcrest as well as one more Cub Guard. By the time we reached Orcrest we were only

six Cub Guards, thirteen cubs, our Clan Mother, and Juno, but soon our Clan Mother fell ill. She was consumed by grief over the loss of her tribe and shortly afterwards

she died leaving Juno as our new Clan Mother."

Me – "So when do you establish your tribe as the Iron Tails?"

Muto – "Clan Mother Juno had us assimilate into the society of Orcrest. We took jobs as laborers and dropped tradition. Through the loss of our tradition we lost our

strength. This is when Muto was stricken with the idea to turn the tribe into a mercenary company. Clan Mother Juno accepted the idea as a good one and named Muto,

the strongest of the Cub Guards, leader of the company."

Me – "She just ceded power to you? That's a bit unheard of."

Muto – "She remains our Clan Mother and fulfills her duties to the tribe, but as a mercenary company she believed leadership should fall to the strongest. However this

one covets the Clan Mother's advice, and it is unlikely that this one would act against her advice."

Me – "Extremely fascinating! Since becoming a mercenary company that specifically targets skin-trappers, have you noticed a decrease in skin-trapper activity in the

areas where your tribe, or should I say, your company has worked?"

Muto – "Yes."

Me – "Do you worry that a company of skin-trappers might place a false contract in order to set an ambush for your company?"

Muto – "They have tried this, but never have they provided a force strong enough to remove us. We will never be taken by surprise as we were the night our tribe was

nearly destroyed."

Me – "Well Muto the Massive, it has truly been a pleasure speaking with you and learning your story and I thank you. Hopefully when your story is heard by people all

over Tamriel, we can collectively work towards a Tamriel free of the disgusting trade that is skin-trapping. Farewell and good luck to you.

And that was my interview with a Cathay-Raht warrior. It is amazing to think that an entire tribe of powerful warriors like Muto could be almost entirely wiped out, but

hopefully with Muto's help and yours, skin-trapping will become a relic trade of a more barbaric past. This interview comes with my book on the subject of skin-trapping

entitled, Hide Your Skin: The Cruel Trade of Skin-trapping. If you enjoyed this interview keep an eye out for some of my other works such as Foreboding Fate of the

Forebears: The Civil War in Hammerfell, or A Sappy Story about Severil Sapboot: An Autobiography about Severil Sapboot Written by Severil Sapboot.