On Moonstone

The catfolk of Elsweyr have many mysteries, which they are fond of shrugging off with a wink and cryptic turn of phrase. One of the more baffling is the presence of moonstone in their armorcraft. Whether or not the Khajiit did indeed “climb, cat upon cat” to the moons in a bygone era, it is well documented that, somehow, the luminous metal used in their more prized armor pieces is indeed the flesh of Lorkhaj.

Jonestone, which ranges in color from pearly white to silvery grey, is associated with the priesthood of the Ja-Kha'jay, who favor jewelry and trinkets carved from it; as armor, it is most famously worn by the Mane's bald Warrior Guard. Jodestone, on the other paw, is a blood-red, iridescent stone that shines in a range of blue, green, and red hues. As an ostentatious symbol of luxury and power, it is preferred by the city-dwelling nobility, as well as local thieves.

Less pliant than ebony, Lorkhan’s crystalline blood, and more brittle, moonstone cannot be shaped and hammered like a common metal, or folded over itself like ebony. Instead, the molten moonstone is poured into ceramic casts in the shape of the desired armor piece. These casts are then buried in the desert and allowed to cool, a process which can take up to ten years depending on the size of the plate. A typical cuirass is comprised of around 30 individually casted pieces (a helm or gauntlet might double this amount), which are then fitted together with fluted silver or horn, mounted on a shirt of richly patterned cloth or dog leather.

(It should be noted that the moonstone used by the Khajiit is completely unrelated to the mineral of the same name found in eastern Skyrim, which is closer in composition to the volcanic glass used by the Altmer for their armorcraft.)