Kuuhenki

Kuuhenki are an exploration mechanic in Nod-Krai and Frost Moon. They are pure elemental lifeforms, similar to Seelie in appearance and can likewise be associated with puzzles. Under certain circumstances, players can use the power of the kuuhenki to increase their mobility.

Overview

Kuuhenki found in Nod-Krai comes in mainly three colors: Red, blue, and white. Red and blue kuuhenki will begin following the player when approached, allowing the player to maintain the associated kuuvahki-empowered state. They will disappear if the player moves too far from their spawn location. The player can only have one kuuhenki follower at a time; approaching another will replace the original.

White kuuhenki are generally only associated with Moonlanes, and do not confer an empowered state.

Kuuhenki found in Frost Moon comes with the black and teal variants. Black and teal kuuhenki can be interacted with to wield Archaeolune Energy, which comes with a limited number of uses.

Some black and teal kuuhenki will be noticeably rotund, and can be pushed around by the player to complete puzzles. Others might absorb excess archaeolunae energy to achieve this state.

Shoaling Kuuhenki, which are small, blue, and yellow kuuhenki, can be used to swiftly travel similarly to Four-Leaf Sigils, in addition to being ordered to mimic various creatures and tools to aid in explorations.

Kuuhenki Transformation

In Nod-Krai, when the player is near a plant affected by kuuvahki, they will enter an empowered state and gain the ability to transform into a kuuhenki. While transformed, they are considered to remain in the empowered state. The color of kuuhenki (red or blue) is determined by the color of the plant, except in Strong Kuuvahki Environments, where the environmental kuuvahki will override all other sources.

Red or blue kuuhenki states last for about 8 seconds, as indicated by the crescent-shaped timer. During this time, the player can move along the ground at a rapid, fixed speed, but cannot perform any other actions or switch characters. The active character will keep their HP bar and will aggravate enemies and take damage as usual. They will be downed upon reaching 0 HP.

While in a red or blue kuuhenki state, the player can switch to the opposite color in three ways: By approaching a source of kuuvahki of the opposite color (except in a Strong Kuuvahki Environment), by entering a Strong Kuuvahki Environment of the opposite color, or after entering a patch of mist of the opposite color.

In Frost Moon, the Moonvein Suffusion state provided by Archaeolune Energy can grant Moonlight Dash, which transforms the player into the black kuuhenki form while they are moving swiftly in a given direction.

Any kuuhenki state can be ended prematurely by holding the jump button. The player will also be ejected if they enter water or if they are made to stagger.

Tutorials

Achievements

There is 1 Achievement obtainable from Kuuhenki:

Achievement	Category	Description	Requirements
Moonshadow Walker	Wonders of the World	Roam like a kuuhenki.	Transform into a kuuhenki for the first time.	5

Lore

Kuuhenki are a species unique to Nod-Krai. They are pure elemental lifeforms and are all familiars of the Moon Goddess Kuutar, with whom they share visual similarities. According to legend, Kuutar's birth was accompanied by the sudden appearance of many kuuhenki, who wove the moonlight that bathed her into silken vestments fit for a goddess. Some believe that their habit of guiding travelers to hidden treasure stems from an instinct — the same one that not only drives them to protect the Moon Goddess, but also to make her smile.^[1] Kuutar is able to communicate with the kuuhenki and cares for them as if they are her children.

It is revealed that Columbina travels to the past and, after gaining the power of the Three Moons, splits her being into three. One of which is her body that turned into kuuvahki, which then poured onto the very lands of Nod-Krai in the past.^[2]

Kuuhenki are often playful and curious, but they can have distinctive personalities and a variety of interests, such as visual art, music, and storytelling. They are capable of making complex paintings^[3] and playing the lyre,^[4] despite their lack of limbs. Their favorite instrument is the drums, playing so enthusiastically that Columbina used to be concerned that they might hurt themselves.^[5]

According to the Traveler, kuuhenki's bodies are soft and squishy.^[6]

Luonnotar are special kuuhenki born from the Moon Goddesses' blessings that are thought to bring good fortune. Resembling rabbits in appearance, they are extremely rare and can take thousands of years to form.^[1]

As Dualblaze Longplume Ibis hunt small animals of similar size to kuuhenki, they also used to target kuuhenki, until Kuutar issued them a warning not to do so.^[7]

Kuuhenki and animals are able to talk to each other.^[8] The Moonchanter Lauma, though, who can understand animals like Kuutar, is unable to understand the kuuhenki.^[1]

Archaeolune Energy, the similar power of the moon, also gave birth to Kuuhenki in the Frost Moon. The teal and the mini kuuhenki are likely natural, but the black kuuhenki were artificial, created from Project Moongazer as data-based life forms.^[9] Certain black kuuhenki pursue a mission and are noted to exhibit cannibalistic behaviour, consuming their kin in order gather more data.^[10] After a certain point, they would fulfil this mission, then later be reborn.^[9]

Ungie was born by Maagees-Geti's operation on Containment Object-1, the result of Ungien fusing with the Blackbody while he was in the Moongazer Ship. The fusion of Archaeolune Energy and Blackbody Matter created the first artificial kuuhenki on the moon, which later evolved into a black mega kuuhenki. Later on, Lusalim also performed the same operation on Maagees-Geti at her request, turning her into the same mega kuuhenki, albeit a different color from Ungie due to her body not containing the same Blackbody Matter as Ungie.^[11][12]

Quests and Events

With Luonnotar:

Archon Quests

• Song of the Welkin Moon
  • Act I: A Dance of Snowy Tides and Hoarfrost Groves
    • Where the Moon Rises
    • Reunion Beneath the Moonlight
  • Act II: Elegy of Dust and Lamplight
    • The Dark Side of Memory
  • Act V: A Nocturne of the Far North
    • Ripples That Will Never Reach
  • Act VII: A Traveler on a Winter's Night
    • Tracing the Footsteps of the Past
  • Act VIII: True Moon
    • The First Sliver of Moonlight
• Chapter VII
  • Act I: Everwinter Without Mercy
    • Into the Wind, Into the Frigid North

World Quests

• Silvermoon Hall: Selenic Chronicles
  • The Artist By the Moon's Side (I)
  • Come Play With the Moon
  • Where Does the Moon Hide?
  • A Gift From Her
  • Everlasting as the Moon

With Eggie:

World Quests

• Moon Gazing
  • Act I: Pioneers
    • Pioneers (Part 1)
  • Act II: Visitors From the Stars
    • Pioneers (Part 2)
    • Visitors From the Stars (Part 1)
    • Visitors From the Stars (Part 2)
  • Act III: Project Moongazer
    • Project Moongazer (Part 1)
    • Project Moongazer (Part 2)

Gallery

White kuuhenki

Black kuuhenki

A rotund black kuuhenki

Teal kuuhenki

A rotund teal kuuhenki

Luonnotar

Columbina's special kuuhenki form

Ditto (black kuuhenki)

Maggie, a mega kuuhenki

A school of shoaling kuuhenki

Trivia

• Kuuhenki are all female,^[1] with the exception of Ungie, who is a male mega kuuhenki.
• When Columbina undergoes kuuhenki transformation, her kuuhenki form has an extra pair of wings.
• Teal kuuhenki are addressed as black kuuhenki and are generally treated as such in game mechanics.

Etymology

• Kuuhenki is derived from the words kuu (Finnish: kuu "moon") and henki (Finnish: henki "breath; soul; spirit"); as such, kuuhenki means "moon spirit".
• Luonnotar (luonto (Finnish: luonto "nature") + -tar) is another name for Kave, a female spirit or goddess in Finnish mythology. It is also another name for Ilmatar, a virgin spirit and goddess of the air in the Finnish national epic Kalevala.

Notes

Other Languages

Change History

References

Navigation

Exploration   General Player Stamina Climbing Elemental Sight Geo Construct Gliding Anemo Ring Wind Current Boom Balloon Dusty Balloon Wind Ring Balloon Vortex Balloon Investigation Sprinting Swimming Diving Environment Weather Lightning Climate Subzero Climate Fog Balethunder A Nation Closed by Thunder Sandstorm Smoldering Ashes The Wild Hunt Lurks... Water Grass Fall DMG Temperature Blazing Heat Sheer Cold Teyvat Bloatty Floatty Boom Blossom Bubble Chest Shrine of Depths Seal Wooden Crate Mora Chest Vine Elemental Amber Elemental Monument Elemental Sigil Exploding Barrel Fire Fishing Fishing Point Flaming Flower Floating Anemo Slime Granum Hidden Exploration Objective Hidden Trove Hilichurl Structure Local Legend Map Instance Teleport Waypoint Statue of The Seven Out of Bounds Mist Flower Rock Pile Small Rock Pile Ruin Brazier Ruins Torch Seelie Storm Barrier Time Time Trial Challenge Time Tunnel Tourmaline Waverider Glimmering Beacon Mist Bubble Waverider Waypoint Whirlpool Waypoint Event & Quest Balloon Bloom Balloon Bouquet Balloon Celebration Balloon Heartbreak Balloon Cloudleisure Step Defiled Beacon Dream Form Flamethrower Hunting Trap Melodic Bloom Melodic Harp Melodic Pedal Pursina's Spike Star Guide Supreme Cuisine Machine The Encroaching Dark The Raven Forum Nachtraben Airlines   Mondstadt Common Anemogranum Dragonspine Ancient Rime Crimson Agate Scarlet Quartz Sheer Cold Warming Seelie Windrest Peak Harpastum Noblesse Secret Treasury   Liyue Common Adeptus Bridge Geogranum Geo Lamp Plaustrite Platform Pressure Plate Windmill Mechanism The Chasm Bedrock Key Cage-Shaped Geo Formation Concentrated Lumenstone Energy Dangerous Gas Dark Mud Exploding Geo Mushroom Lumencage Lumenlamp Lumenspar Lumentorch Luminous Seelie Mine Passageway Mountainator Oozing Concretion Spoutrock Unique Rock Pillar Unique Rock Chenyu Vale Carefree Simulacrum Flighty Simulacrum Golden Carp's Leap Jade Cascade Jade Incense Cauldron Millennia of History Scenes of Flowing Lotuses Strange Phenomenon: Miasma Wrathful Simulacrum   Inazuma Common Earth Kitsune Statue Electric Lamp Electro Cube Electro Current Puzzle Electro Seelie Electrogranum Kamuijima Cannon Light-Up Tile Puzzle Lightning Strike Probe Mysterious Pillar Narukami Pillar Nimbus Gem Phase Gate Sacred Stone Puzzle Temari Thunder Barrier Thunder Dwelling Thunder Sakura Bough Thunder Sphere Thunderstone Tsurumi Island Ishine Script Mysterious Carving Perch Stormstone Enkanomiya Dais of Day and Night Ghostfish Key Sigil Places of Essence Worship Shield-Light of Tokoyo Sunfire Phantasm Triangular Mechanism   Sumeru Common Clusterleaf of Cultivation Dendrogranum Auspicious Branch Dendrogranum-Locked Rock Four-Leaf Sigil Primeval Rosin Stamina Flower The Withering Candle of Life Flame of Life Tri-Lakshana Creature Bouncy Mushroom Dream Flower Poisonous Mushroom Rocklifting Branch Seed Mirror Tri-Yana Seed Valaya Dharma Forest Ashvattha's Concourse Energy Block Energy Extraction Device Nursery Stone Pillar Seal Vintage Lyre Claustroflora Gloomy Path Phantasmal Gate Silapna Sprouting Branch Vamadha Varuna Contraption Great Red Sand Cascade Pool Cascade Spout Illusory Keystone Jinn Shrine Large Atmospheric Vortex Large Fan Blades Loose Sand Pile Manifestation Mechanism and Signal Spirit Obscuring Cell Pipe Diverter Valve Primal Barrier Primal Beam Everlight Cell Neverlight Cell Primal Ember Primal Sconce Primal Torch Primal Obelisk Primal Sandglass Prism of Khaj-Nisut Replicator Keystone Forged Primal Light Rune Mechanism Runic Window Runic Pane Switch Scarlet Sand Slate Plinth of the Secret Rites Small Atmospheric Vortex Tumbleweed Verity Cell Weathered Obelisk Weathered Rock Wenut Girdle of the Sands Amrita Mayfly Bright Flame Altar Burgeoning Spirit Farrwick Fravashi Tree Gray Crystal Khvarena Mayfly Kory Drum Nirodha Fruit Plume of Purifying Light Ruebright Bloom Soul Bell Special Four-Leaf Sigil Sunyata Flower   Fontaine Common Aquabus Arkhe Pneumousia Block Pneumousia Relay Pneumousia Storage Box Autoharmonic Reed Pipes Beastly Rift Contaminated Bacterial Mat Dew Bubble Fixed Storage Device and Energy Transfer Device Energy Transfer Terminal Stabilizer Floating Crystal Flower Harmonious Reed Pipe Humongous Hat Jellyfish Hydrogranum Huge Shell Jadewater Fruit Mysterious Grimoire A Mysterious Bookshelf Full of Grimoires Operable Mechanism Potential Energy Orb Symphony The Miraculous Antoine Roger Aircraft Water Volume Detection Crystal Underwater Accelerated Aquaring Bubble Formation Bullet Barnacle Current Echoing Conch Enhanced Pneumousia Amplifier Fantastical Floating Ball Fontemer Seagrass High-Pressure Water Vent Recovery Orb Red Meanies Strange Eel Swaying Eels in the Coral Reefs The Auric Anglerfish! Washer Octopus Resonant Anemone Wonderchime Flowers and Allochromatic Anemones Xenochromatic Creature   Natlan "Floating Target Balloon" Challenge Abyssal Blight Altar of Primal Flame Ancient Inscribed Ring Asha Coilgrass Sigil Everflame Seed Flamegranate Flaming Seed of Phlogiston Iridescent Beam Iridescent Inscription Jet-Set Eddies Molten Fissure Monetoo Nightsoul Totem Nightsoul's Blessing Nightspirit Graffiti Nightspirit Sigil Pale Mist Phlogiston Solid Liquid Gaseous Phlogiston Chiselith Phlogiston Explosive Barrel Phlogiston Pile Relay Ball Saurian Indwelling Secret Source Sentinel Source Mechanism Special Coilgrass Sigil Spiritway Tribal Secret Space Warrior's Challenge   Nod-Krai Common Abyssal Riftlines Amazing 'Bot Atapetra Conch Cleaning Bot Kuuhenki Kuuhenki's Hidden Trove Kuuvahki Current Kuuvahki Dewdrop Kuuvahki Relay Mechanism Kuuvahki Mandragora Moon Mirror Moonlane Oath Lantern Recon Bot Rippleweed Slothsheep Sniffer Mole Statue of the New Moon Strong Kuuvahki Environment Tideseal Stone Unipolar Field Frost Moon Archaeolune Energy Archaeolune Energy Barrier Archaeolune Energy Disturbance Zone Archaeolune Energy Nodes Archaeolune Energy Surges Ancient Moon Pearl Archaeolune Energy-Affinitive Materials Archaeolune Energy Pathway Backup Power Generator Gravimeter High-Speed Transit Lane Knotted Moonlit Vines Material Storage Chest Pioneer Source Structure Shoaling Kuuhenki Storm Occlusion Field Terminal Wondrous Black Kuuhenki   Snezhnaya Common Kresnik Kristall Kresnik's Torch Prime Ice Rumblebranch Shadow Realm Shadow Realm Treasure Vault   Other Temple of Space Dex Elemental Cube Relic Display Case Harpastum Maranasati Casket Memory Factor Restoration Core Secret Hall of the Realms Segment-Domain Keepers Concealed Type Organization Type Patrol Type Projectile Type Suppression Type Transport Type