Karax

"Karax is of the lowest caste of protoss society, the artisans and worker bees of the mighty race. He treats his engineering craftsmanship like an art form, immensely pleased with his role in society and in the creation of his weaponry and inventions."

- Character description

Karax is a Khalai phase-smith. An expert in weapons, armor and ships. Karax is one of the most precise of protoss engineers. Over the course of the war against Amon, he was able to rise above his worker origins, serving as an important part of the war effort.

Biography
"Dark Prelate Zeratul, I am Karax of the Khalai caste."

- Karax introduces himself to Zeratul

On Shakuras
Prior to the End War, Karax worked alongside Nerazim phasesmiths on Shakuras, and learnt of how, unlike their Khalai counterparts, were trained in combat. He familiarized himself with khaydarin monolith technology.

The Reclamation of Aiur
"The Spear of Adun still rests beneath the ruins of Kor-shakal. It generators are ancient, but a phase-smith of your ability will know how to bring them online." "The Spear of Adun. I... I am honored to have the opportunity. This is fortune we cannot ignore."

- Hierarch Artanis and Karax

Karax was among the ranks of the Golden Armada when it assaulted Aiur. When Dark Prelate Zeratul sent his forces to search for Hierarch Artanis, Karax aided Zeratul in the construction of a nexus point. When Amon corrupted the Khala, Karax's nerve cords were severed by a Nerazim to protect him. He found himself under attack by a group of zerg which eliminated the centurions that were guarding him. However, he was saved by Artanis and a group of zealots. Artanis formed him of their intent to retreat using the Spear of Adun, and that Karax would be needed to bring its generators online. Humbled by the opportunity, Karax went with his superior.

At Kor-shakal, Karax worked on getting the ship's generators online while the Daelaam held the line against the zerg and corrupted protoss Amon sent against them. The ship departed Aiur with Karax and his comrades aboard.

The Spear of Adun
"The Spear of Adun, a marvel of Khalai engineering and last of the three great arkships...each created to ensure the continuation of our culture in a dark time. Within it chambers rest contingents of zealots...templar who bravely sacrificed-entering suspension so that they may serve vessel's army. Though it pains me greatly, I have begun severing their nerve cords. The ship's lower decks contain a starforge capable of constructing weapons of war. There is much to learn about this vessel. It technology is ancient, yet highly advanced. We are aboard a relic from a glorious time when our culture shined as constellation. The celestial array has be updated, Hierarch. From here, you may select our next point of travel."

- Karax shows Artanis the Spear of Adun

With the Spear of Adun launched, Karax had robotic drones set about severing the nerve cords of the Templar in stasis aboard the ship, and explained the ship's various chambers and functions to Artanis.

Karax eventually took up operations of the ship in the solar core, devoting his time to maintaining the ship's systems and bringing more of them online. He eventually attached several robotic tentacles to his severed nerve cords to aid in his work. He also alerted Artanis to sources of solarite he had detected that could be used to augment the ship's systems, and worked to improve upon pre-existing protoss weapon designs using what he had learned from studying the Spear of Adun's systems.

Korhal
The Spear of Adun arrived at Korhal, as Artanis intended to retrieve the Keystone from the Terran Dominion. However, it was under assault by the Moebius Corps, now servants of Amon. They had assaulted the Sky Shield space platform, disabling its atmospheric stabilizers that, if left unchecked, would send it crashing into Augustgrad. Karax advised Artanis that the damage seemed repairable. To this end, Karax provided advice while the Daelaam and Dominion forces worked together, holding off Moebius and stabilizing the platform's orbit.

During the chaos, Moebius Corps had retrieved the Keystone and were headed to Bennet Port in a bid to escape the planet. Daelaam and Dominion forces operated on the ground, but were stymied as hybrids channeled Void energy into the device, incapacitating terran units. Karax kept Artanis updated on the device's status as the battle raged. Eventually, the Moebius and hybrid forces were defeated, and the Keystone handed to the Daelaam.

The Dominion transmitted their research notes on the device to Karax and he began studying the device. He informed Artanis that the Keystone was at least billions of years old, if not older. The terrans had thought it from a more recent epoch, as their analysis hadn't identified the Keystone's self-regenerative abilities. He noted that the Keystone could manipulate energy, but might also store its origin point within itself. If so, that would fit with Zeratul's claim that the Keystone would guide the protoss to the xel'naga.

Shakuras
"En aru'din Shakuras...You were our salvation, and we will always remember that."

- Karax, after Shakuras's destruction

The Spear of Adun arrived at Shakuras, only to find it overrun with Amon's zerg. Karax reported the situation, and relayed a transmission from Matriarch Vorazun. The Spear of Adun began making preparations to aid in the evacuation, while Karax began attempting to isolate the major population centers in need of evacuation. He reported that most of the survivors had gathered in Talematros. The city was successfully evacuated, and the decision was made to use the planet's xel'naga temple to destroy the world, and take out as many of Amon's forces as possible. While the line was held, Karax informed Artanis that a cache of solarite had been found under the temple. Artanis ordered him to begin the retrieval process. The line was held, and Shakuras was destroyed. Karax promised that the Khalai would always remember the world, for it had been their place of refuge alongside the Nerazim.

Glacius
The Spear of Adun headed to Glacius in a bid to retrieve a cache of purifier weapon designs. In a briefing with Artanis and Grand Preserver Rohana, Karax explained that the Purifiers here were not the original robots that had been sealed away by the Conclave, but rather a separate branch of research inspired by the old technology. Arriving at the planet, they found it under attack by the Tal'darim. As the Daelaam made ready to engage, Karax briefed Artanis on the Purifiers. Artanis reminded him that despite their accurate replications, the Purifiers were still only machines. Karax protested that the protoss were simply machines of a biological nature, and that just as the protoss had created the Purifiers, so too were the xel'naga the creators of the protoss.

The Daelaam moved out. Karax informed Artanis that the Tal'darim were using a mothership's phase displacement beam against Glacius's orbital defenses. Despite the threats of First Ascendant Alarak, Karax advised Artanis that if the Daelaam moved quickly enough, they might be able to outpace the beam and get to the technology vault before it was destroyed. Karax advised Artanis of Tal'darim fleet movements as the Daelaam fought their way through the Tal'darim lines. Karax warped the cache aboard the Spear just before the vault was destroyed. To his surprise, there was a prototype Purifier warrior aboard; one that, as he and Artanis discovered, was the replicated personality of Praetor Fenix. Fenix's memories went as far up to his fall at Antioch, and believed he had been placed inside a dragoon. Unable to break the truth, Artanis ordered Karax to cease his experiments, and have Fenix join them.

With Fenix now part of the crew, Artanis and Karax discussed him. Karax informed Artanis that Fenix's personality was likely accurate, up to the 99th percentile. Artanis was uneasy&mdash;that was still a discrepency, and in the span of a lifetime, one's experiences could generate a completely different individual from the original. He ordered Karax to keep a watchful eye on Fenix.

Ulnar
"This place... should not exist. It defies all decrees of science, shatters all understanding of astral-mechanics."

- Karax

Karax was able to determine the Keystone's origination point&mdash;Ulnar, legendary homeworld of the xel'naga. He tracked it to the Alterian Rift, and believed he was in error, for nothing should have been able to survive there. Artanis, however, was not so despondent, for protoss legends stated that the xel'naga originated from a place where no life should be. He ordered that the Spear of Adun enter the rift. It was a decision that validated Artanis's faith, and the Spear of Adun arrived at Ulnar, a giant structure that existed within the rift. Karax deduced that this was the Keystone's primary purpose, to act as a mechanism to lead its user to this place. He commented that Ulnar should not exist under what the protoss understood of astral-mechanics. And yet, it existed all the same.

Daelaam forces entered the structure, vying for control of celestial locks against the Tal'darim. Karax provided advice and support. Karax also noticed (and later informed Artanis) that since their arrival, the Keystone had begun reacting strangely, as if it were attuned to the Void energies emanating from Ulnar. He suggested that Ulnar acted as a conduit between dimensions.

Events went awry as it was discovered that the xel'naga were dead. To make matters worse, Amon opened a portal to the Void within Ulnar itself. Alarak appeared on the Spear of Adun and informed Vorazun of the danger Artanis was in, isolated within Ulnar. Karax informed Vorazun that the Keystone was now absorbing Void energies at an unprecedented rate, taken from the energy now emanating from Amon's portal. The longer it remained open, the greater the threat. Alarak appeared to be telling the truth. Unfortunately, the energies made it impossible to pinpoint Artanis's location.

With the aid of Alarak and Sarah Kerrigan's zerg, the Daelaam were able to close the portal to the Void. During the battle, Karax advised the Daelaam that he had detected xel'naga vessels, whose energy would be useful for the Spear. The Daelaam successfully escaped.

The Tide Turns
The xel'naga were dead, yet as Karax told Artanis, perhaps Zeratul had ushered the protoss unto hope after all. He explained that the Keystone had been used to extract the essence of the Queen of Blades from Sarah Kerrigan during the Second Great War, and how that energy had been used to revive Amon. Under this premise, he believed he could use the Keystone to extract Amon from the Khala.

Later, Artanis called a meeting of his commanders, Karax included, where their next course of action was discussed. Karax reminded the council of the threat of Moebius Corps, who were operating from a hidden base and creating hybrids for use in Amon's armies. Artanis ordered Vorazun to send Nerazim scouts to find the base, while ordering Karax to focus on the Keystone. In the meantime, they had to deal with both the Tal'darim death fleet, and the Purifiers of Cybros, hopefully bringing both into the fold.

Slayn
The Spear of Adun arrived at Slayn, as Alarak made preparations to challenge Highlord Ma'lash to Rak'Shir, which would give him control of the Tal'darim if he succeeded. In orbit above the planet, Karax analyzed the Tal'darim's ships, concluding that they had been pilfered from Khalai designs. Artanis suggested that the legends of Khalai ships being attacked by spirits within the cosmos had in fact been the Tal'darim seizing their technology. Karax expressed his contempt for this behavior, calling the Tal'darim thieves.

As preparations were made, Karax noticed the Keystone react to Void energies in a manner similar to Ulnar. He speculated that the terrazine found on Slayn was directly linked to the Void, explaining why the Tal'darim find the gas holy to them.

Alarak won the Rak'Shir, and the Tal'darim were brought into the fold. Despite this, Karax retained his misgivings about their new allies.

Revanscar
"Amon's hybrid facility lies in ruin. His hybrid armies shattered. And yet, for the briefest of moments, we lingered on cusp of ruin. We endured because of the action of one brave templar. In the midst of darkness, I have seen a light...I have seen defiant hope. Karax of the Khalai, you were born a craftsman from a caste of engineers. But now, you stand as warrior. Today it is clear that the age of caste has come to its end. Today we must all become Templar!"

- Artanis, after the destruction of Revanscar

Vorazun's dark templar scouts were able to succussfully locate Moebius Corps main hybrid breeding station within the asteroid belt of Revanscar. Karax was able to ascertain its defenses, stating that while the asteroid field was highly volatile, the Daelaam's carriers could strike at the heart of the facility. When the Daelaam arrived, Moebius Corps launched a surprise attack and boarded the Spear of Adun. Artanis needed all his available warriors to defend the ship itself from invasion and tasked Karax to see to the destruction of the Moebius base during the battle. Though the Hierarch knew that Karax was not trained as a warrior, Artanis believed that Karax's knowledge of Moebius' defenses could allow the protoss to succeed. With the available carriers and what few resources he could acquire, Karax performed admirably and led the protoss to victory, destroying the hybird chambers and the stations power cores. With the Spear of Adun secured, Karax was given the honor of finishing off the facility, removing the enslaved terran organization as a threat. In recognition of Karax's deeds, Artanis and the others declared him a Templar warrior in defiance of the traditional caste system, stating that the age of caste must come to an end.

Cybros
The Spear of Adun arrived at Endion, the Daelaam intent on releasing the Purifiers from Cybros. However, zerg were on the planet's surface, which would make disrupting the station's stasis grid difficult. He informed Artanis of the Megalith, a device on the surface which would be the key to unlocking access to the station. On the surface, the Megalith was successfully escorted to the stasis locks as the Daelaam held off the zerg. With the stasis grid down, Karax believed that once its systems was brought online, Cybros would begin to defend itself and that despite their anger, the Purifiers could be counted on.

Both the Daelaam and zerg engaged on Cybros. Karax advised the destruction of its null circuits, which would allow the station and its purifier forces to reactivate. The Purifiers were awakened, and the zerg were eradicated, though was shocked when the Purifiers cleansed all life on Endion to destroy the zerg. Afterwards, the Purifiers entered the Daelaam fold with the promise of being treated as equals and as long as Talandar would speak for them. With that done, Karax began examining the bodies of the Purifiers, discovering that they functioned better when in close proximity to one another. Karax believed this to be a replication of the Khala but as there was no emotional wave it was only synthetic.

Return to Aiur
"No matter what happens, if we die, we all die Templar, and I thank you for that&mdash;for your faith in me."

- Karax to Artanis

The combined Daelaam forces arrived at Aiur. Karax informed Artanis that the Keystone was once again reacting to Void energies, the hierarch deducing that Amon was the source. Karax was unsure if the plan could work, as the Keystone had been tampered with by Narud to draw out the essence of the Queen of Blades to revive Amon. While the process would be similar in regards to removing Amon from the Khala, the Keystone had not been designed to house the psionic power of a xel'naga.

The Daelaam launched a ground assault to destroy the psionic matrix, which would ensure that the Golden Armada did not arrive in time to reinforce Amon. Alongside Fenix, Karax and fellow forces destroyed one of the matrix's nodes. With Amon's reinforcements stymied, an assault was launched against his host form; Karax provided alerts on the presence of Void shades. The attack was a success, and Amon's body was destroyed. Now, all that was left was the Golden Armada, and Amon's presence within the Khala. Karax informed Artanis that the Keystone was ready for deployment, but was uneasy as to the duration of its effect. Yet, it was their last option. As the last battle approached, Karax thanked Artanis for the faith he had placed in him.

In the final battle, Karax fought alongside the Purifiers in defending the south-east entrance to the grounds where the Keystone had been erected. The line was held, and Amon was drawn out of the Khala and banished to the Void.

At some point after the conquest of Aiur, Karax alerted Artanis to a transmission from Kerrigan, requesting aid for an invasion of the Void.

Legacy of the Void
Karax is controllable as a hero in "Templar's Return" and as an NPC-controlled hero in "Salvation." In the former, he is controlled alongside Talandar during his part of the mission.

Quotations

 * See: StarCraft II Unit Karax Quotations

Personality and Traits
"I am a phasesmith, and I am a Templar."

- Karax

Karax is shorter and stockier than most protoss. The armor he wears also differs in that it is more functional than ceremonial.

Karax treats his engineering craftsmanship like an art form, immensely pleased with his role in society and in the creation of his weaponry and inventions. Artanis commented that once presented with a problem, Karax would not rest until he found a result.

Karax views organic beings as machines, simply of being those of a biological nature, and often marvels at the intricacies of protoss biology. Similarly, he treats the Purifiers as living beings, albeit non-biological ones, a belief spurred by his time spent with Talandar. In contrast, Karax has (or had) a low opinion of the Tal'darim due to their pilfering of Khalai technology rather than creating their own designs, labeling them as thieves.

He believes that the universe and everything in it is all part of a grand design, a belief shared by most protoss.

Trivia
Tim Morten has likened Karax's role to that of Montgomery Scott from the Star Trek universe.