Differences between QuchHa' and HemQuch

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Permalink Reply by Martek Dok'Marr on September 16, 2009 at 8:23pm

Klingons are a warrior race native to the planet Q'onoS, and are rulers of the Klingon Empire which occupies a large area of the Beta Quadrant. They are known for an aggressive, militarist, expansionist, and imperialist nature and a strict code of honor. Due to this nature, they are also known to make enemies of many races, having fought a variety of conflicts throughout their history. Past enemies of the empire have included the Kzinti, Tholians, Romulans, Hydrans and the members of the United Federation of Planets, among others. Klingons generally have a disdain of Humans in particular, and most Humans feel the same way about the Klingons.

Physiology

Firstly, it is important to note the distinctions between the Klingons and their subraces. Most importantly, the Klingon race is divided between the HemQuch, who retain their ridges, and the QuchHa', noted for their lack of ridges and a distinctive human appearance. This division was brought about by the Augment virus crisis of the 22nd century, in which Klingon experiments with Eugenics Wars era fetus' to enhance the Klingon race went arry.

Currently the situation that caused this virus is heavily classified by various Federation-Klingon treaties since the 2150's, as well as the fact that Klingons originally had ridged skulls, and most if not all Federation citizens have no idea why the Klingons have smooth foreheads and have no memory of their former appearance. However, Federates have had some on off encounters with Klingons who maintained their ridges since that time (though not as many as the smooth skulls by far), leading to various hypotheses for the reason for two subraces.

Decades into the future, the fact that the Klingons were once afflicted by the augment virus, and the fact that many of them lost their ridges was in itself classified when a cure was found, and those Federation citizens themselves would not have any memory of smooth skulled Klingons.


Male QuchHa'(Smooth-heads)

* Average Height = 74.8031 inches
* Average Weight = 80 kilos
* Age Expectancy = 82 to 120
* Active until = 82 and higher
* Hair = brown to black, baldness rare. Greying with age.
* Facial hair = top lip and chin. Usually same colour as head hair.
* Eyes = brown to black, sometimes rare variants such as green or blue.

Female QuchHa'(Smooth-heads)

* Average Height = 66.9291 inches
* Average Weight = 50 kilos
* Age Expectancy = 72 to 100
* Active until = 72 and higher
* Hair = brown to black, baldness extremely rare. Greying with age.
* Eyes = brown to black, sometimes rare variants such as green or blue.

Male HemQuch(Ridged-heads)

* Average Height = 80 inches
* Average Weight =
* Age Expectancy = 150 to 200
* Active until = 150 and higher
* Hair = brown to black, baldness rare. Greying with age.
* Facial hair = top lip and chin. Usually same colour as head hair.
* Eyes = brown to black

Female HemQuch(Ridged-heads)

* Average Height = 72 inches
* Average Weight =
* Age Expectancy = 150 to 200
* Active until = 150 and higher
* Hair = brown to black, baldness extremely rare. Greying with age.
* Eyes = brown to black


General Physical Appearance

Klingons are bipedal humanoids. They share many physical attributes with other humanoid species, including (and not limited to) forward focused eyes, oposable thumb, hinged knees and elbows, ball joint hips.

The most obvious distinctive feature of HemQuch Klingons is their cranial ridges. These are a thought to be a vestage of the more basic Klingon form, perhaps with an exoskeleton (see the thesis on Klingon Evolution). These ridges are as individual to Klingons as fingerprints are to Terrans. It is common for related Klingons to have similar ridge patterns. The most common pattern involves a number of horizontal ridges from the nose to just below the hair line. Some patterns however are vertical. Some have suggested that the pattern of ridges is linked to social standing, however there is nothing to substantiate this. More likely the genes carrying the vertical ridges are submissive and the horizontal ridges dominant.

Klingon hair is thick and is usually worn long on the HemQuch, thought the QuchHa' seem to prefer shorter, kept hair. The HemQuch's hair is often tied back but left loose its weight is sufficient that it stays in place during motion. The male's facial hair is equally substantial.

Similar to the cranial ridges, HemQuch Klingon spines have raised lumps. This is also thought to be connected to a previous exo-skeleton. These lumps hold nerve endings and have tactile abilities. The same lumps are present on Klingon feet.

Skin tone varies from peach to dark brown.

Internal

Klingons have a varying number of ribs, the average being 23. The ribs are arranged in a lattice, making them much more sturdy than most humanoids. The ribcage protects the major organs in the same way as most creatures with an endoskeleton.

A large variation between Klingons and other species is brak'lul. This is the Klingon term that refers to the possession of multiple organs. HemQuch Klingons posses two stomachs, two livers, three kidnies, three lungs and an eight chambered heart. QuchHa' Klingons are believed to posses only one stomach, two livers, two kidnies, two lungs, a dual duodenum, and a three chambered heart; however, this data is sketchy at best and based on human anatomy combined with what few factors are known of the smooth heads.

Similarly the Klingon brain has a double-lined neural pia mater. The brain is otherwise very similar to that of a Terran.

"Smooth Head" physical appearances

During the 22nd Century the High Council became concerned that the Federation might be expanding research into genetics to create a super-race. They therefore started their own experiments.

The test subjects showed heightened intelligence but underwent quite extreme physical alteration. They lost their distinctive ridges and their features became more similar to that of Humans.

One of the test subjects was apparently carrying a flu virus at the time and the experimentation caused the flu virus to mutate.

It is thought that millions of Klingons were infected by the mutated virus before it was brought under control. At least one colony was completely 'cleansed' in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus.

Once under control those affected by the virus were organised into seperate units and carried out the day to day communication with the UFP.

The virus altered the Klingon genome to a degree that the offspring of those infected were born with the new genetic patter.

Even during the 22nd Century, the Smooth headed began to supersede the HemQuch as the dominant race, and today they outnumber them somewhere around 70 to 30.

Maturity

Klingons mature much faster than Terrans. At the age of 1 Klingons are as advanceed as a Terran 4 year old. At 8 years old they are comparable to Terrans of around 16 years. Klingons reach maturity at 12 or 13.

Reproduction

Gestation is 30 days, usually with a single birth.

Stangely though Klingons are able to produce viable embryos with several other races the gestation of these can be faster rather than slower. As a result many mixed race fetuses do not reach full development and miscarriages are common. Klingon features are dominant over most other species and if one parent possesses cranial ridges this may show in several subsequent generations.

Psychology

Klingons have a complicated psyche.

The Ego and ID are closely linked and to some seem to be inseparable.

The Klingon grasp of self awareness is acute however they also put a lot of importance in the group. This is the underlying reason for the social structures known as Houses. It is thought that the reason for such a developed sense of group is due to the harshness of the environment that they evolved in.

The Smooth heads seem to be more given into emotional human frailties than the HemQuch, such as fear, greed, revenge, sadism, or violence.

Sociology

Klingons live in extended family units known as Houses.

Klingon society is fiercly divided among the QuchHa' (or simply, "Smooth Heads"), the HemQuch (also called "Imperial Klingons"), The two main groups generally have a distaste for one another at best, and a raving bigotry at worst.

Language

Klingon language can boast claiming half the quadrant by the 23rd Century. The two major variants of Klingon tongue are Klingonese, which has eighty polyguttural dialects constructed on an adaptive syntax, and Klingonaase, a language popular with the QuchHa'