Who Said What? (Part 3)

Link to the first thread with the beginning explanation for those who haven’t seen it

What did the Renrijra Krin say?

A quick note: Renrijra Krin translates to “The Mercenary’s Grin”, “The Laugh of the Landless” and “The Smiling Scum” because Ta’agra is a funny language. There is a chance for bias with this text as they are notably social outcasts and thus may not be a decent representation of the typical Khajiit.

Ahzirr Traajijazeri starts with

This is an absurd book. But like all things Khajiiti, as the expression goes, “gzalzi vaberzarita maaszi”, or “absurdity has become necessity”.

Take that last expression any way you want, because it can mean several things. Either than Khajiit can be a little odd because oddity causes confusion and with that they have the upper hand against a problem that is regular and understandable. Or it can mean that when times are tough, doing absurd things is necessary for survival. Again, a matter of interpretation.

The Imperials feel that everything must be written down for posterity, but every Khajiiti kitten born in Elsweyr knows his history, he drinks it in with his mother’s milk.

As the author seems to be having a go at Imperials writing everything down it seems to imply that rather than there being a “rich literary history” there is an oral one. Also I doubt that there are history lessons in Khajiiti milk, but rather this implying that learning history and such in childhood is an important and regular thing for Khajiit as even Words of Clan Mother Ahnissi begins with

You are no longer a mewing kitten and you have learned to keep secrets from Ahnissi, and so Ahnissi tells you [the whole creation story].

You grow up and hence learn the history/myths/religion

Next comes a part about their conflict with the Count of Leyawiin after he takes Leyawiin as a Cyrodiilic county as opposed to it having been a Khajiiti one; we all know this one (seen in both PGE and in the game Oblivion).

The Khajiit mind is not engineered for self-reflection. We simply do what we do, and let the world be damned.

Now, this part is a little weird and kind of hard to explain; to get a good idea of what the real case is, check this thread out but even that doesn’t have the full picture. They know what’s good and bad to them, the rationale for what is “good” is more a matter of the positive results as opposed to a typical view of morality (less what is right, more what is good/to be gained).

A basic summation of the Renrijra Krin

We fight for Elsweyr, but we do not ally ourselves with the Mane, who symbolizes our land. We believe in justice, but do not follow laws.

Part 1: It’s good to be brave

Basically them talking about smiling, fighting and Imga’s having a dumb face.

Part 2: It’s necessary to run away

Talks about Khajiiti tactics not being all that “honourable”, at least in regards to the Renrijra Krin. It mentions something about Senche-Raht reaching “the Saimisil Steppes” which I’ve never read anywhere else nor have any clue what it actually is; it seems to imply a state of exhaustion, but it wouldn’t be capitalised without a good reason. This part also mentions Alfiq being tiny, backing up that most references to tiny “house cat” like Khajiit being Alfiq/Alfiq-Raht.

Part 3: Enjoy Life

Have sex and have fun. It’s important to note that this is talking about those in the group and not all Khajiit, though similar characteristics are often found in Khajiiti characters we’ve come across.

Part 4: Kill without qualm

Fight dirty. That’s pretty much what the whole section is.

Part 5: We give freely to the people

We are fighting for our families, the Khajiiti driven from the rich, fertile shores of Lake Makapi and the River Malapi, where they and their ancestors lived since time immemorial.

Very, very likely to be references to the Niben River and also states that Khajiit had lived in what’s now Leyawiin County for a very long time; which backs up Topal the Pilot’s claim of Khajiit being high up the River Niben.

This means more than fighting the good fight, and having a laugh at our befuddled adversaries. It means engaging and seducing the people. Ours is not a military war, it is a political war. If the people rise up against our oppressors, they will retreat, and we will win.

This being one of very few instances in TES in which the people are key part of a political conflict as opposed to nobles and the like. This implies that the lower people as a collective are what’s valuable as opposed to a ruling class (Count of Leyawiin/The Emperor); which gives some credit towards the notion that there is no particular figure that is inherently more important/“better” in Khajiiti society than another (with obvious exception to the Mane, who’s not held in particularly high regard in this text).

Part 6: We justly take by force (also happens to be the title)

We are thieves and thugs, smugglers and saboteurs.

Only further enforcing the stereotype of Khajiit being lowlives. This showing the Renrijra Krin are fighting for Leyawiin because they’ve got nowhere else to go. They are “the landless” after all, it’s in their damn name. Though they may give us insight into Khajiit, they themselves are not necessarily the best of examples (Which is very important to note as many have taken this book too much to heart on what Khajiit are like in the past)

The next edition will be looking into either Cherim’s Heart of Anequina or will be a special faith edition, I haven’t really decided on which one yet.