06-30-2007, 09:34 PM
Here is a history book for the province. I used the Bethsoft history as a base and added a little more information to things, to spice it up a bit, as bethsoft doesn't have a huge amount on our beloved Khajiit.
A History of Elsweyr and Khajiit.
By Jo?quaran, Historian to the Mane.
Foreward:
Elsweyr, the youngest Imperial province probably has one of the richest and deepest histories, rivaled only by the Black Marsh. The Khajiit are considered one of the beast races, and as such are considered to be one of the aboriginal inhabitants of Tamriel, along with Argonians and the ilk of goblins. There are few records of those dark times before men and mer came to Tamriel and so this deep past is the stuff of conjecture. Therefore, we shall start at the beginning.
Chapter One: Before the Khajiit.
Before the Khajiit there were the S?rha. This people closely resembled the Ohmes and Suthay-raht variants of modern Khajiit. The S?rha lived in a jungle paradise, as gleaned from their ruins, which are scattered all over the province. They were in constant war with the Bird Men that Topal the Pilot noted when be purchased the eight islands. After this encounter, the both the birdmen and the S?rha vanished and the Ne-Quin-Al desert formed. Whether or not these incidents are related remains to be discovered.
Chapter Two: The origin of the Khajiit.
Khajiiti myth believes that the Khajiit were created by Azurah, of the second litter of Anurr and Fadomai. This is obviously a reference to the Daedric prince Azura, who is well known in the past of such races as the Dunmer and the extinct Dwemer. It is claimed that Azurah created the Khajiit from the ?forest people? and bound them to the ja-kha?jay, or lunar lattice. This created the many varied forms Khajiit take at birth.
However, the Mage?s Guild postulates another theory. They state that the S?rha wiped out Topal?s bird men, before an act of self-annihilation, possibly at the guilt of obliterating another race, and this act created the desert. Azurah found some deformed survivors of the S?rha, and bound them to the lattice to ensure their survival. Of course this theory is laughable.
There are two parallels between these two theories. First, Azurah changed a ?forest people? which could be either the S?rha, or the ancient progenitors of the Khajiit and Bosmer. Many Khaiit are inclined to believe Ahnissi?s creation myth, but an alarming number of young Khajiit are joining the Mage?s Guild to further study the S?rha theory.
Chapter Three: The Arrival of Elves and Men.
Before the arrival of mer from Aldmeris, the ancient Khajiit were widespread across Tamriel, and lived in peaceful co-existence with the Argonians, whose Hist were also more widespread. The bird folk kept to themselves largely. There are few documents from this time, though there is a record of the Khajiit observing the construction of the Adamantine tower by Aldmeri explorers, which is a direct contradiction of established Aleesian doctrine, which state that the gods themselves erected the tower. It is supposed by this time the Elves had already settled on the modern-day Summerset Isles, and set their merish eyes on the mainland. The Khajiit and Argonians launched an attack on the Adamantine tower capturing it from the Aldmer. Thus it was lost from Aldmer history.
The mer began constructing small coastal settlements, and eventually moved inland, driving the beastfolk inhabitants into the core of Tamriel. Topal the Pilot, explored the upper Niben and purchased the eight Isles from the bird-folk, who then disappeared, whether by the hand of ancient Khajiit or S?rha we?ll never know.
During the following years the Khajiit slowly migrated northward, displaced by the mer, even as far north as southern Skyrim. The mer spread out and differentiated into the modern Elven races, which ignored or enslaved the Khajiit. The Khajiit however became literate, and began to record what they knew of their history. Most tomes from this time are kept in the Mane?s private library, though one, ?Words of Clan Mother Ahnissi? is widely distributed around Elsweyr. The Elven rule was disrupted by the arrival from the north of the Nedic peoples from Atmora.
The Nedic peoples arrived during the late Merethic Era, and were initially repelled by the elves. Eventually Men gained a foothold in northern Skyrim, and the Khajiit migrated back south to their ancient tribal lands, driven by the slaughterer, Pelinal Whitestrake, who mistook Khajiit for Elves and killed many of them. They settled in modern-day Elsweyr, but retained their tribal culture.
Chapter Four: The First Era.
Much of the first Era concerns the comings and goings of men and mer, but little is told of the Khajiit.
The founding of the Cameron Dynasty by King Eplear in 1E1 did little to disrupt the Khajiit in the desert. Early in the First Era, Pelinal Whitestrake realized the Khajiit were not elves and left them alone. The establishment of the Alessian Empire in 1E243 sees minor skirmishes along the borders of Khajiiti tribal lands, and the short-lived alliance between the Camoran dynasty and the Alessian Empire saw a much more concentrated effort to conquer the Khajiit, but once the Alessian order started forcing its doctrine on the Camoran citizens the alliance quickly disintegrated, along with the external pressure on the Khajiit. During the following years, cat-folk prospered, splitting into sixteen clans. Each acknowledged their idiosyncratic natures and they lived in relative harmony with each other.
In 1E461 the Beast of Anequina attended the coronation of Emperor Gorieus. The Beast of Anequina was a large Senche-raht with an impressive build whose name is lost to us. What is known is that he was the then chieftain of the Anequina tribe of Khajiit. Some of the other tribes, notably Pa?alatiin took this as an affront, and demanded an apology from the Beast of Anequina, who gladly obliged.
About a quarter of the way through the First Era, the Chimer were cursed by the Daedric Prince Azura, and changed into the Dunmer, or Dark Elves. Following this event was the increase in trade of Khajiiti slaves, and the event known as ?Sun?s Death?. This event has been shown by stuffy old mages obsessed with rocks to have been caused by the eruption of Red Mountain in Vvardenfell. The ash plumes from the eruption clouded the sky, and hid the sun from Nirn, hence the name ?Sun?s Death?. While the ash remained in the sky, there was great famine, and many died. Once the ash settled however, crops were more bountiful for several decades and the Khajiit regained their lost population.
Circa 1E1200 the phenomenon known as the Dragon Break occurred, and the non-linearity of time from the Dawn Era returned to Nirn. The Khajiit were affected, like every other mortal by this bizarre phenomenon, but the spiritual leader if the tribes, kept an eye on the ja-kha?jay, as the moons were the only constant in this strange time.
Almost nothing of historical interest happens for the next thousand years. Emperors came and went, and the Khajiit remained unconquered in their desert home. In 1E2200-1E2260 the Thrassian plague wipes out nearly a half of the population of Tamriel. The plague decimates the Khajiiti population, leaving only the two tribes of Anequina and Pellitine.
In 1E2300-1E2700 the Tsaesci invade Tamriel not long after the Alessian Empire is torn apart from civil war. The Reman Dynasty is formed once the Tsaesci are defeated at Pale Pass and in the subsequent years the second Empire of Men conquered most of Tamriel. At this point the Khajiiti tribal lands are the last free territory not under control of man or mer.
Chapter Five: The Second Era.
The most notable event in Khajiiti history occurred in 2E309. The warring tribes of Pellitine and Anequina were united by Kiergo of Anequina and Eshita of Pellitine by their marriage. The new lands were dubbed Elsweyr, inspired by an ancient Khajiiti proverb ?a perfect society is always found elsewhere.? This union caused a great deal of internal strife in the new nation and after the sack of Ne-Quin-Al, the Anequina capital, the Mane Rid-Thar-ri?Datta, who was normally impartial to such political conflicts, established the Riddle-T?har, as a means of government. Power shifted between Pellitine and Anequina based upon the ja-kha?jay, a method which is still in use today.
In 2E812 Rimmen, which at the time consisted of mainly Akaviri refugees, announced its independence from Elsweyr, attempting to join the Empire. This failed and Rimmen was forced to remain under the protection of Elsweyr. Since then it has not tried to rebel again, though it remains a largely Imperial town.
Once Tiber Septim became Emperor in 2E854, he systematically conquers all the provinces, including Elsweyr into a single Tamrielic Empire. Most notable during this time in Khajiiti history is the construction of the Numidium at the Halls of the Colossus. A Dragon Break occurred during its construction, which the Imperial fools failed to record, but we remember. The poisoned stone and strange beasts which inhabit the area are testament enough to this phenomenon.
Chapter Six: The Five Years War and the Third Era.
The larger part of the third era has been relatively quiet as far as Elsweyr is concerned. It wasn?t until 3E394 when Elsweyr declared war on Valenwood that things started to heat up. The Bosmer of Valenwood invaded Torval, the capital of Elsweyr and slaughtered thousands of citizens before a jungle tribe helped drive the elves back. The Khajiit hired some Nord advisors who insisted on the Khajiiti armies wear plate mail armour. The war went badly for the Khajiit and following the Battle at Zelinin, the Khajiit banished their foolish Nordic advisors to Solitude. The Khajiit managed to scrounge enough Khajiiti medium armour to make sure that each soldier was fitted comfortably. At the Heart of Anequina, immortalized by Cherim?s masterpiece the tide of the war turned and the Khajiiti began to make some ground. Eventually the war was ended by Elsweyr capturing both banks of the Xylo River.
There are upcoming talks between the Kingdom of Leyawiin and the Elder Council concerning the recent war, and it is feared some treaty will be made that is not in the favour of our glorious Elsweyr.
Afterward:
It is hoped that this tome will give the reader some insight into the deep and rich history of Elsweyr, home to the Khajiit, to better understand our ways and nature. If there are any questions raised by this work, then you may come and ask me in Torval, I shall attempt to clarify anything
- Jo?quaran, Historian to the Mane.
A History of Elsweyr and Khajiit.By Jo?quaran, Historian to the Mane.
Foreward:
Elsweyr, the youngest Imperial province probably has one of the richest and deepest histories, rivaled only by the Black Marsh. The Khajiit are considered one of the beast races, and as such are considered to be one of the aboriginal inhabitants of Tamriel, along with Argonians and the ilk of goblins. There are few records of those dark times before men and mer came to Tamriel and so this deep past is the stuff of conjecture. Therefore, we shall start at the beginning.
Chapter One: Before the Khajiit.
Before the Khajiit there were the S?rha. This people closely resembled the Ohmes and Suthay-raht variants of modern Khajiit. The S?rha lived in a jungle paradise, as gleaned from their ruins, which are scattered all over the province. They were in constant war with the Bird Men that Topal the Pilot noted when be purchased the eight islands. After this encounter, the both the birdmen and the S?rha vanished and the Ne-Quin-Al desert formed. Whether or not these incidents are related remains to be discovered.
Chapter Two: The origin of the Khajiit.
Khajiiti myth believes that the Khajiit were created by Azurah, of the second litter of Anurr and Fadomai. This is obviously a reference to the Daedric prince Azura, who is well known in the past of such races as the Dunmer and the extinct Dwemer. It is claimed that Azurah created the Khajiit from the ?forest people? and bound them to the ja-kha?jay, or lunar lattice. This created the many varied forms Khajiit take at birth.
However, the Mage?s Guild postulates another theory. They state that the S?rha wiped out Topal?s bird men, before an act of self-annihilation, possibly at the guilt of obliterating another race, and this act created the desert. Azurah found some deformed survivors of the S?rha, and bound them to the lattice to ensure their survival. Of course this theory is laughable.
There are two parallels between these two theories. First, Azurah changed a ?forest people? which could be either the S?rha, or the ancient progenitors of the Khajiit and Bosmer. Many Khaiit are inclined to believe Ahnissi?s creation myth, but an alarming number of young Khajiit are joining the Mage?s Guild to further study the S?rha theory.
Chapter Three: The Arrival of Elves and Men.
Before the arrival of mer from Aldmeris, the ancient Khajiit were widespread across Tamriel, and lived in peaceful co-existence with the Argonians, whose Hist were also more widespread. The bird folk kept to themselves largely. There are few documents from this time, though there is a record of the Khajiit observing the construction of the Adamantine tower by Aldmeri explorers, which is a direct contradiction of established Aleesian doctrine, which state that the gods themselves erected the tower. It is supposed by this time the Elves had already settled on the modern-day Summerset Isles, and set their merish eyes on the mainland. The Khajiit and Argonians launched an attack on the Adamantine tower capturing it from the Aldmer. Thus it was lost from Aldmer history.
The mer began constructing small coastal settlements, and eventually moved inland, driving the beastfolk inhabitants into the core of Tamriel. Topal the Pilot, explored the upper Niben and purchased the eight Isles from the bird-folk, who then disappeared, whether by the hand of ancient Khajiit or S?rha we?ll never know.
During the following years the Khajiit slowly migrated northward, displaced by the mer, even as far north as southern Skyrim. The mer spread out and differentiated into the modern Elven races, which ignored or enslaved the Khajiit. The Khajiit however became literate, and began to record what they knew of their history. Most tomes from this time are kept in the Mane?s private library, though one, ?Words of Clan Mother Ahnissi? is widely distributed around Elsweyr. The Elven rule was disrupted by the arrival from the north of the Nedic peoples from Atmora.
The Nedic peoples arrived during the late Merethic Era, and were initially repelled by the elves. Eventually Men gained a foothold in northern Skyrim, and the Khajiit migrated back south to their ancient tribal lands, driven by the slaughterer, Pelinal Whitestrake, who mistook Khajiit for Elves and killed many of them. They settled in modern-day Elsweyr, but retained their tribal culture.
Chapter Four: The First Era.
Much of the first Era concerns the comings and goings of men and mer, but little is told of the Khajiit.
The founding of the Cameron Dynasty by King Eplear in 1E1 did little to disrupt the Khajiit in the desert. Early in the First Era, Pelinal Whitestrake realized the Khajiit were not elves and left them alone. The establishment of the Alessian Empire in 1E243 sees minor skirmishes along the borders of Khajiiti tribal lands, and the short-lived alliance between the Camoran dynasty and the Alessian Empire saw a much more concentrated effort to conquer the Khajiit, but once the Alessian order started forcing its doctrine on the Camoran citizens the alliance quickly disintegrated, along with the external pressure on the Khajiit. During the following years, cat-folk prospered, splitting into sixteen clans. Each acknowledged their idiosyncratic natures and they lived in relative harmony with each other.
In 1E461 the Beast of Anequina attended the coronation of Emperor Gorieus. The Beast of Anequina was a large Senche-raht with an impressive build whose name is lost to us. What is known is that he was the then chieftain of the Anequina tribe of Khajiit. Some of the other tribes, notably Pa?alatiin took this as an affront, and demanded an apology from the Beast of Anequina, who gladly obliged.
About a quarter of the way through the First Era, the Chimer were cursed by the Daedric Prince Azura, and changed into the Dunmer, or Dark Elves. Following this event was the increase in trade of Khajiiti slaves, and the event known as ?Sun?s Death?. This event has been shown by stuffy old mages obsessed with rocks to have been caused by the eruption of Red Mountain in Vvardenfell. The ash plumes from the eruption clouded the sky, and hid the sun from Nirn, hence the name ?Sun?s Death?. While the ash remained in the sky, there was great famine, and many died. Once the ash settled however, crops were more bountiful for several decades and the Khajiit regained their lost population.
Circa 1E1200 the phenomenon known as the Dragon Break occurred, and the non-linearity of time from the Dawn Era returned to Nirn. The Khajiit were affected, like every other mortal by this bizarre phenomenon, but the spiritual leader if the tribes, kept an eye on the ja-kha?jay, as the moons were the only constant in this strange time.
Almost nothing of historical interest happens for the next thousand years. Emperors came and went, and the Khajiit remained unconquered in their desert home. In 1E2200-1E2260 the Thrassian plague wipes out nearly a half of the population of Tamriel. The plague decimates the Khajiiti population, leaving only the two tribes of Anequina and Pellitine.
In 1E2300-1E2700 the Tsaesci invade Tamriel not long after the Alessian Empire is torn apart from civil war. The Reman Dynasty is formed once the Tsaesci are defeated at Pale Pass and in the subsequent years the second Empire of Men conquered most of Tamriel. At this point the Khajiiti tribal lands are the last free territory not under control of man or mer.
Chapter Five: The Second Era.
The most notable event in Khajiiti history occurred in 2E309. The warring tribes of Pellitine and Anequina were united by Kiergo of Anequina and Eshita of Pellitine by their marriage. The new lands were dubbed Elsweyr, inspired by an ancient Khajiiti proverb ?a perfect society is always found elsewhere.? This union caused a great deal of internal strife in the new nation and after the sack of Ne-Quin-Al, the Anequina capital, the Mane Rid-Thar-ri?Datta, who was normally impartial to such political conflicts, established the Riddle-T?har, as a means of government. Power shifted between Pellitine and Anequina based upon the ja-kha?jay, a method which is still in use today.
In 2E812 Rimmen, which at the time consisted of mainly Akaviri refugees, announced its independence from Elsweyr, attempting to join the Empire. This failed and Rimmen was forced to remain under the protection of Elsweyr. Since then it has not tried to rebel again, though it remains a largely Imperial town.
Once Tiber Septim became Emperor in 2E854, he systematically conquers all the provinces, including Elsweyr into a single Tamrielic Empire. Most notable during this time in Khajiiti history is the construction of the Numidium at the Halls of the Colossus. A Dragon Break occurred during its construction, which the Imperial fools failed to record, but we remember. The poisoned stone and strange beasts which inhabit the area are testament enough to this phenomenon.
Chapter Six: The Five Years War and the Third Era.
The larger part of the third era has been relatively quiet as far as Elsweyr is concerned. It wasn?t until 3E394 when Elsweyr declared war on Valenwood that things started to heat up. The Bosmer of Valenwood invaded Torval, the capital of Elsweyr and slaughtered thousands of citizens before a jungle tribe helped drive the elves back. The Khajiit hired some Nord advisors who insisted on the Khajiiti armies wear plate mail armour. The war went badly for the Khajiit and following the Battle at Zelinin, the Khajiit banished their foolish Nordic advisors to Solitude. The Khajiit managed to scrounge enough Khajiiti medium armour to make sure that each soldier was fitted comfortably. At the Heart of Anequina, immortalized by Cherim?s masterpiece the tide of the war turned and the Khajiiti began to make some ground. Eventually the war was ended by Elsweyr capturing both banks of the Xylo River.
There are upcoming talks between the Kingdom of Leyawiin and the Elder Council concerning the recent war, and it is feared some treaty will be made that is not in the favour of our glorious Elsweyr.
Afterward:
It is hoped that this tome will give the reader some insight into the deep and rich history of Elsweyr, home to the Khajiit, to better understand our ways and nature. If there are any questions raised by this work, then you may come and ask me in Torval, I shall attempt to clarify anything
- Jo?quaran, Historian to the Mane.