Cathay from The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
- Main article: Khajiit
The Cathay are a breed of Khajiit, a race that hails from the land of Elsweyr.
Appearance and physiology
The Cathay are very similar in appearance and physiology to the Suthay-raht. Like the Suthay-raht, the Cathay have upright pointed ears, fur covering their entire bodies, and long tails. However, they are significantly taller than the Suthay-raht, around the size of most Men and Mer. Unlike the Suthay-raht, the Cathay are plantigrades, walking flat on their foot and with a skeletal structure much more similar to that of Men and Mer.
The Cathay have been the most common breed of Khajiit seen in Cyrodiil and Skyrim for more than 200 years, from the end of the Third Era to the Dragon Crisis.
Influences of the moons
The Cathay are one of seventeen confirmed breeds of Khajiit, and each breed is born due to the influences of Nirn's two moons, Masser and Secunda.
The former is Nirn's largest moon, and the main influencing force on Khajiit breeds. Depending on Masser's lunar lattice, the Khajiit will fall under one major appearance and physiology out of four possibilities. These are as follows:
| Full | Waxing | New | Waning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large Quadruped | Large Biped | Small Biped | Small Quadruped |
Secunda, Nirn's smaller moon, influences the appearance and physiology of a Khajiit in more subtle ways than that of Masser. Generally, the closer Secunda is to a full phase, the less beastlike a breed appears. The closer Secunda is to a Waning phase, the more beastlike a breed appears.
The Cathay is a large biped, born under Masser's waxing phase, and Secunda's full phase. They are the least "beastlike" of the large biped Khajiit.
Gallery
.png "Cathay Novice (Legends).png (456 KB)")