Klingon

• Appearance: Mammalian; dark skin, forehead crest, prominent spinal ridges, sharp incisors; on average taller, larger than humans
  • QuchHa' minority resulting from modified Qu'vat virus look near-identical to humans
    • QuchHa' population reached several million by 2165, but was treated and reverted to HemQuch majority by end of 23rd century (ENT Novel: Live by the Code; TOS Novel: Forged in Fire)
• Lifespan: over 150 years (DS9: "Blood Oath")
• Homeworld: Qo'noS
• Low tolerance for cold (DS9: "Change of Heart"; VOY: "Displaced")
• Magenta blood (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country; DIS)
• Multiply redundant biological systems
  • Two livers, three lungs, eight-chambered heart, redundant neural functions (TNG: "Ethics")
• Children mature quickly (cf. Alexander)
• Technological notes
  • Most Klingon designers tend to work from established, proven designs and expand or improve rather than produce entirely new fundamental foundations (VAN Novel: Summon the Thunder)
    • Part of reasoning for basic Klingon ship design being essentially unchanged from 23rd to 24th century
• Cultural notes
  • Klingon calendar
  • Klingon faith
  • Klingon language
  • Originally generally caste-based (ENT: "Judgment")
    • c.2100, domination of warrior caste of government, society led to general dissolution of the caste system (ENT: "Judgment")
      • Focus on warrior precepts permeated general society, leading to warrior lifestyle seen as ultimate goal
      • In core territories, other castes largely viewed in terms of ability to contribute to military goals
      • Outside core territories, caste system held less strength previously, little changed (KE Novel: A Burning House)
  • Weapons
    • Bat'leth (Various)
      • Curved, two-pointed, pointed blade
  • Foods and drinks
    • qa'vIn (ENT Novel: Live by the Code)
      • Based on Human coffee beans looted from attacks on Earth vessels (ENT Novel: Live by the Code)
      • Processed by Klingon agronomists to greatly enhance potency and concentration of caffeine (ENT Novel: Live by the Code)
    • Raktajino (Various)
      • Essentially Klingon coffee
      • Derived from a blend of qa'vIn and ra'taj liquor, brewed as a cappucino
    • Rokeg blood pie (Various)

History

• 2016: First contact with Vulcans, leading to decades of war (ENT Novel: A Choice of Futures; DIS: "The Vulcan Hello"; TNG: "First Contact")
• April 2151: First contact with Humans; Broken Bow, Earth incident (ENT: "Broken Bow")
• November 2154: Qu'vat virus leads to creation of QuchHa' minority class in contrast to HemQuch majority (ENT: "Affliction")
• Early 2290s: Cure discovered for Qu'vat virus; QuchHa' cease to exist. Their former existence is largely denied or kept quiet with outsiders from this point forward. (TOS Novel: Forged in Fire; DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations")