Skyrim: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Khajiit | ScreenRant
With a feline appearance and their trademark way of speaking, Khajiit are a fascinating race in Skyrim. Much about them is a mystery... mostly.
Among the races of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Khajiit are one of the most interesting and unique ones, right after Argonians. With a feline appearance and their trademark way of speaking, Khajiit have a strong cultural background of their own that shines through each NPC and even a Khajiit Dragonborn.
However, much isn't told about Khajiit in Skyrim alone. Most information about their kind can be deduced from how they're treated by the Nords and other races of Skyrim, but there's much more to the native people of Elsweyr that have become well-known as the nomadic traders of Tamriel.
10 They're Skooma Smugglers
Khajiit are best known for their appearance, but if there's one thing they're also quite famous for it's trading exotic items. As traders, Khajiit are sought after by many due to their strange wares, which includes a narcotic potion known as Skooma.
Within Skyrim, Skooma restores 25 stamina, but it's also described as a drug that's outlawed in the province. Due to this, Khajiit must smuggle it into the province illegally, which has given them a bad reputation.
9 In Combat They're Like Cats
Khajiit are not just catlike in appearance. Their behavior is very much feline as well, as proven by how they tend to behave when threatened or when engaged in combat. Just like actual cats, they tend to bare their teeth at their enemy.
Their eyes will also become narrow and their ears will go flat against their head. It's a cool touch that further makes them unique and daunting enemies to encounter.
8 They Come From Elsweyr
Most fans will know that Khajiit are not native to Skyrim, but come from a faraway province known as Elsweyr. This province largely features in The Elder Scrolls Online, but what most fans may not be aware of is that the province of Elsweyr was once ruled by tribal clans engaged in bitter warfare.
In more recent times, the Aldmeri Dominion has exerted a lot of control and influence over Elsweyr as well. They could do this by claiming credit for putting an end to Void Nights, during which the moons of Tamriel Masser and Secunda disappeared from the sky, both of which are crucial elements to the Khajiit religion.
7 They Dislike Argonians
Unfortunately, due to the weakness of the Elsweyr Confederacy and the nomadic nature of the Khajiit people, there are many negative stereotypes surrounding them. This is quite similar to Argonians, who are also often considered second-class citizens by other races.
What's even more unfortunate is that rather than banding together against injustice, Khajiit and Argonians actually despise each other. This is also partly due to them being technically neighbor provinces, only separated by sea and parts of Cyrodiil.
6 They've Worked For Thalmor
The Aldmeri Dominion and Khajiit have a special relationship, which is difficult to explain due to how complex it is. In many ways, it's a case of the Altmer exploiting the Khajiit thanks to their political power and using their religion as a way to bolster their position.
This is even seen in Skyrim during the main quest. The Thalmor will occasionally employ Khajiit assassins on their missions against the Dragonborn.
5 They're Assassins Or Thieves
Every race in The Elder Scrolls universe has a specialty, some sort of job or class which they're particularly good at. When it comes to Khajiit, they're known to be extremely agile and stealthy people, which is tied to their unique physiology.
Due to this, they'll often work in professions that best complement these skills. Many of them make excellent assassins and thieves, finding themselves in the Dark Brotherhood or Thieves Guild.
4 They Deal Damage Up Close
Speaking of the unique physiology of Khajiit, one aspect they share with Argonians is their incredible ability to deal a ton of damage in hand-to-hand combat. In fact, many Khajiit prefer to use their bare hands when fighting rather than a weapon.
In Skyrim, unarmed combat as a Khajiit deals 12 damage, making it a completely legitimate build to complete the game with. Thanks to their claws, Khajiit are able to do so much more than other races.
3 They're Hated In Skyrim
Nords are not exactly known for being the most welcoming people in Tamriel, but Khajiit definitely get the short end of the stick when it comes to life in the northern province. They often faced discrimination from city guards, who address them as "cats."
Moreover, the Khajiit are not allowed within the cities of Skyrim. Many of them tend to set up camp outside in the form of caravans since their presence isn't otherwise welcomed.
2 They Were Enslaved In Morrowind
The peak of the injustice the Khajiit have gone through definitely took place within Morrowind, a province famous for enslaving not only Argonians but Khajiit as well. The rich homes of dark elves were particularly guilty of this, until slavery was outlawed.
The treatment of Khajiit slaves was extremely inhumane. Their keepers would hold them with special bracers that would prevent the slaves from using spells in order to fight or attempt an escape.
1 Their Appearance Is Based On The Moon
There are many different types of Khajiit out there, and no two Khajiit are quite alike. While some might look more like lynxes or other large feline creatures, other have a much more domestic catlike appearance.
Their appearance ultimately depends on the moon under which they were born, which also plays a big part in Khajiit religion and beliefs.