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The '''Karaihe''' are a type of [[ekati]]-based [[golem]] species native to [[Kohatu-Nui]], a massive subterranean region below the continent of [[Emsius]], filled with ekati crystals.

Karaihe are often considered figures of [[Asmosianism|Asmosian]] mythology being referred to as spirits or messengers of [[Asmos]]. They are rarely seen on the surface, but when they do appear, they often change the course of history by providing magic to those who approach them.

The Karaihe are one of the few known life forms to not be created by [[Ouros]]. As such, they have a very alien appearance compared to most other life on Erudite.

==Characteristics==
Karaihe appear as humanoid golems made of crystal and glass varying in shape and build from hulking, broad-shouldered brutes to agile graceful dancers with sharp, bladed limbs. They are extremely variant in height, ranging from a few inches tall to sizes comparable to average mortals to towering giants. Despite these size differences, they are all technically the same species and are still considered equals in society among one another.

Karaihe are completely lacking in smooth curves that organic species possess, as they are entirely made of rigid polygons. While Karaihe do have masculine and feminine forms, these forms only exist as a means of imitating the appearance of mortals. In truth, they are actually genderless.

Karaihe are a single color, usually blue or purple, but some tribes of Karaihe are red. They have no semblance of organic features, lacking a face, eyes or mouth. They communicate through humming a song which resonates in one's mind as audible words.

Karaihe are truly immortal. If they are killed (often through blunt force shattering of their body), their soul simply travels to another set of ekati crystals and takes shape as another one. They also retain the memories of their previous self. However, Karaihe do not reproduce and there are only a finite number of them which makes their original origins a mystery. According to their mythology, they were directly created by the god Kau who some to believe to be Asmos himself. After their creation, they were tasked with forming raw ekati into the physical structure of [[Erudite]].

Karaihe feed off of ekati crystals and their residual energies. They do not die of starvation, but if they go a long time without feeding off ekati, they eventually stop moving and solidify in place, their consciousness trapped inside an immobile body - a state simply known as Infinite Stasis. Although Karaihe are immortal, Infinite Stasis is considered a form of death as it is considered impossible to resurrect one who has gone into this state.

==Tribes==
===Puru-Karaihe===
The Puru-Karaihe are the most common and largest tribe of Karaihe. They are blue in color. They tend to be benevolent, fierce keepers of the ways of their god Kau.
===Toto-Karaihe===
The Toto-Karaihe are blood red in color. Once a rival tribe of the Puru-Karaihe, they were exiled deep below where they were eventually doomed to enter Infinite Stasis. The Puru-Karaihe's decision to do this backfired enormously as the Toto-Karaihe returned in a new and empowered form using Deep Ekati.
===Tahito-Karaihe===
The original ancient tribe that helped to shape the world of Erudite. They've largely fallen into obscurity and remain in the deepest parts of the underground as monks. They are by far the largest type of Karaihe still alive today, towering between 30 and 100 feet tall.
===Pouri-Karaihe===
An extinct tribe of Karaihe considered the precursors to the Toto-Karaihe. They were the rank-and-file forces of [[Vaskus]] during the Shattering, and they were by far the largest Karaihe to ever live, being as tall as mountains. They had a jet-black obsidian appearance.
==History==
===Early history===
The Karaihe (specifically the ancient tribe, the Tahito-Karaihe) are believed to be the first intelligent beings to inhabit Erudite, created long before elves and humans. According to their mythology, they were tasked by the god Kau to construct a land for the Kotitanga, or Trial of Miraculum. To construct a land so that Kau could test mortals for his own purposes.

At the time, much of Erudite was covered in large, jagged crystals. In fact, Anitira's geography is a remnant of this time.

===The First War===
The first to contact the Karaihe were a travelling group of elves that had utilized the Wind Caves. This was the first time that organic life had contacted the Karaihe, but they could not agree on what to do with them. The Tahito-Karaihe remained neutral, the Puru-Karaihe wished to welcome them with hospitality, while the Toto-Karaihe wished to study and experiment with them.

After a war over how to approach the first organic life took place, they were exiled to the lower levels of Kohatu-Nui (known as Kohatu-Mahanga) where they were doomed to all enter Infinite Stasis due to the lack of ekati in the area. Fearing extinction, the Toto-Karaihe desperately sought a way to replenish their numbers as unlike most other ekati-based life, they could not reproduce.
===Rebirth of the Toto-Karaihe===
Upon discovering Deep Ekati for the first time, they chose to adopt a symbiotic relation with them allowing them to not only feed off the life force of organics, but to also grow stronger. They would clamber back to the surface and establish themselves as a rival power once more.

Although they solved the problem of avoiding Infinite Stasis, it was merely a temporary solution as their powers continued to wane. They desired to find a way to reproduce so they began to experiment with other forms of life, introducing Deep Ekati into their system to study its effects.

The Toto-Karaihe, while unsuccessful in creating another one of their kind, were able to create the first ghouls using the elves. Having run out of organic species to experiment with, the Toto-Karaihe only desired more.

===Contact with Leir===
The ancient empire of [[Leir]] discovered the [[Wind Caves]] and used it to access Emsius from underground. They formed a trade route to Kohatu-Nui to trade with the Karaihe. While the Puru-Karaihe and the last few Tahito-Karaihe often objected to Leir's actions, the Toto-Karaihe showed great interest in Leir' endeavors. They'd often accept Leir's offerings of humans for their own experiments. As life in Kohatu-Nui was largely inorganic, to see humans or animals from the surface was a rarity.

Eventually, a Toto-Karaihe named [[Kino]] start his own malicious experiment on humankind. He showed the Ekati King of Leir the resource known as Deep Ekati where he was manipulated into using it to power the Worldstone. The other Karaihe, aware of Kino's intention to lead mortalkind to destruction, rebelled against him and waged an underground war while Leir ravaged the surface above.
===Downfall of the Toto-Karaihe===
Although Kino was eventually defeated and sealed deep into the abyss, Leir's damage on the world was done. To make reparations, the Puru-Karaihe assisted mortals who had lost their homes to allow them to settle Emsius' surface while they chose to hide themselves from the world, hoping to be forgotten.

Despite the Karaihe's self-imposed exile, there were still those who ventured to the surface to manipulate humanity. They'd often grant a select few magical powers to turn them into beings known as Bargods. In fact, a Toto-Karaihe that emerged from the sea to take the form of an ore deposit is responsible for the events that would cause King Nebu to transform into a Bargod and indirectly create the Grand Idol curse.
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