Klingon

The Klingons (tlhIngan in Klingonese) were a humanoid warrior species that originated from the planet Qo'noS (pronounced Kronos), an M-class planet in the Beta Quadrant. One of the major powers of the galaxy, the Klingons were a proud, tradition-bound people who valued honor and combat. The aggressive Klingon culture had made them an interstellar military power to be respected and feared.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Like most humanoids, the essence of the Klingon anatomical form consisted of a head, neck, torso, and four limbs.
Internally, the Klingon anatomy was markedly different from that of other humanoids. There was a great deal more multiple redundancies in their organs, a principle they called brak'lul. This allowed Klingons to survive severe injuries in battle. They had twenty-three ribs, two livers, an eight-chambered heart, three lungs, two urinary tracts, and even redundant neural function as well as multiple stomachs. Some geneticists believed that the extra organs, notably the third lung, evolved to give Klingons greater stamina on the battlefield. Klingons had relatively little knowledge of their own biology and their medicine was very poorly developed. This was largely due to their warrior traditions – a Klingon who was wounded was expected to be left to either survive through his own strength, die, or undergo the hegh'bat, a form of ritual suicide. Conversely, their society having dueled and killed each other for generations taught them what is immediately lethal for their species.
The most distinctive feature of the modern Klingon was a sagittal crest, beginning on the forehead and often continuing over the skull. Klingons head shape differed between individuals, with some having skulls that extended backwards into an elongated cone shape. The cranium, itself, was encased in an exoskeleton, which possessed a feature known as the tricipital lobe.
The lower half of the face tended to follow a familiar humanoid appearance, and even the ridges on the back of their heads if any tend to be less pronounced and slight, leaving the general shape as Human skull and covered in more skin than bone, it was in these regions where hair was most likely seen to grow. Eyebrows tend to grow in a more diagonal direction than other humanoids, but also had noticeably diagonal suborbital ridges where eyebrows otherwise existed.
Klingons ears included both external auricle and pinna and recessed pinna. External auricle structures tended to be rounded, and the recessed pinna tended to come to a point before forming into the back of the head.
Klingon eyes were generally round in size and shape (consisting of varying shades with white sclera). They may flash more white of their eyes which they use to intimidate a rival or enemy. Other Klingon eyes had large corneas, pink sclera, and almost gem-like reflective quality to them. Klingons, especially females, were said to lack tear ducts. However, for males Klingon myth stated that Kahless once filled the ocean with his tears, and at least one Klingon, Kurn, produced tears.
They also had more physically pronounced cheeks, and a vertical ridge that went down their chin into their neck which expanded into ridges on their upper chest and shoulders and between the breasts of at least the females. The neck structure varied from smooth flesh to flesh containing pits and bony structures that led up the side of their head, and down the back of their head and spine.
Klingon noses tended to vary having between several slight horizontal ridges on the brow of their noses, or a single vertical ridge or crack from the top of the brow to the tip of the nose to being wider and flatter, nearly flush against the forehead. They also had heavier ridges over their nostrils, compared to the two minimally ridged or un-ridged nostrils. The nose tended to lay flatter on the face than in other Klingons as well and wider.
Klingon teeth typically consisted of two sharp fangs (incisors) with crooked or sharpened teeth (it was said they sharpen their teeth, often before going into battle). However, not exclusive, others had pronounced thick lips with sharp teeth, with each tooth being considerably larger size.
Klingons of both sexes usually had hair on their heads while male Klingons often had facial hair as well. Hair was usually long, curly and wavy, described as thick and luxuriant. Accelerated hair growth was often experienced by Klingons during puberty, or jak'tahla, along with severe mood swings and unusual aggressive tendencies. Klingon hair greyed with age. Other Klingons were completely bald, lacking facial hair. For Klingons with hair, cases of receding hairlines or full or partial baldness existed during 2160s, and later in the 2260s through 2290s. Klingons as young as those who had reached the Age of Ascension, typically did not wear beards.
Some Klingons also had sharp thick talons on their hands that make up the end of their digits.
The chest of the Klingon males appeared to be largely smooth and slick, while the females had a large chest area with ridges that came down to the top of their breasts across their shoulders. The backs of these Klingons were highly covered with ridges from shoulder to shoulder and across the small of their back radiating from highly defined and thickly ridged spines. The sides of the abdomen of at least the females appeared to be highly defined with rib-like ridges as well. The buttocks region was even heavily ridged.
Klingons had ridged spines, chests and feet (though these ridges and other armor like structures extend out covering almost the entire back, sides and abdominal region on the 'pointy-headed' Klingons). After birth, some Klingon infants experienced a pronounced curvature to the spine, a form of scoliosis, which was correctable by surgery. This "defect" tended to run in Klingon families, especially among females. Federation medicine, fortunately, advanced beyond that, allowing an additional choice of treatment involving genetic modification of the fetus.
Skin colors ranged from olive, brown, and black to pearlescent/metallic across the entire spectrum of the rainbow, varying from purple, pink, burgundy red, yellowish tan, dark orange, umber brown, grey, blue, dark green, coal black, and chalky white. Their skin had a shimmery slick metallic semi-reflective sheen to it. Albino Klingons were often considered outcasts in Klingon society.
Klingon children matured far more quickly than Human children. At the age of only one Earth year, a Klingon child had the appearance a Human child had at about four. By the age of eight Earth years, a Klingon attained the maturity a Human did not reach until about age sixteen. Rop'ngor was a common childhood disease among Klingons. When Klingon children began growing into adults, they went through jak'tahla, a Klingon form of puberty. Like other mammalian species, Klingon females were capable of lactating to breast-feed infants.
Klingons tended to live for over 150 years. Even into advanced old age, Klingons were usually still strong enough for combat, but were still susceptible to various mental conditions associated with old age.
Klingons were notably stronger than most humanoids, at least as strong as Vulcans. They might have even been stronger, as the half-Klingon B'Elanna Torres was able to wrestle with the Vulcan Vorik on equal grounds and eventually defeat him, despite the fact that he was larger than her. However, despite their endurance and general robustness, Klingons had a considerably lower tolerance to the cold than Humans.
The Klingon sense of smell was notably acute; in fact, it was powerful enough to be used effectively to track down prey during a hunt. Their sense of smell was also suggested to play an integral role in their mating practices.
Doctor Julian Bashir once sarcastically noted that the natural odor produced by Klingons was comparable to an "earthy, peaty aroma with a touch of lilac." To Humans and Vulcans alike, Klingon ships smelled bad. For example, Leonard McCoy once referred to the environment of a Klingon Bird-of-Prey, operated until recently by Klingons, as having a "stench."
Klingons such as Kurn had the instinctive ability to sense the decision to kill by looking into the eyes of their opponents. Worf despite being raised by Humans on Earth, retained this ability when he sensed Martok's warrior spirit returning enough to win their duel without killing Worf.
Klingon blood could contain ribosomes that were compatible for transfusion with a Romulan. Klingon blood varied in color from dark red to more of a lightish pink.

Biological Traits

Klingons were a species of bipedal tetrapod with a head, neck, torso, and four limbs that made up their body plan. They were a species that possessed anatomy and physiology remarkably similar to humans, but with several noticeable divergences. The most striking feature of Klingon anatomy was their cranial regions, which possessed striking sagittal crests which varied greatly between individuals, though familial lineages may possess similar crests. This was largely due to a protective exoskeletal casing which enveloped their craniums, though a shattering blow to the tricipital lobes of these casings can result in certain death. The rest of Klingon external anatomy was heavily ridged, with ridges on their feet, chests, and notably, a crest of ridges and spines which ran down their backs. Furthermore, male Klingon genitalia, while similar to humans, also possessed a series of ribbing and ridges along the shaft. Klingon skin tones tended to range from an olive tone, to brown, to an almost charcoal-black. Both sexes possess hair on their heads which was typically black or brown, and turned grey with age.
Internally, Klingon physiology was markedly different from human anatomy, and possessed numerous redundancies in a biological principle called brak’lul. Klingons possessed eight-chambered hearts, two livers, multiple stomachs, three lungs, and even redundant neurological functions. This rendered a Klingon with incredible stamina to resist injuries which would be debilitating for a human. However, unlike humans, Klingons possessed a notably decreased tolerance for cold temperatures, largely due to their own lower body temperatures.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Klingon nutritional requirements were typical of most humanoids, whereas, Dr. Pulaski once noted that, while their food was considered by most to be unpalatable, usually, "what kills us, kills them." One exception of this observation was the tea used in the Klingon tea ceremony, which was toxic to the point of being deadly to Humans, and capable of seriously sickening Klingons, as it did.

Behaviour

"When threatened, fight." -- Klingon phrase.

The Klingon species are highly aggressive and are known to fight for almost any reason but typically do so when honor is at stake. Due to their nature as predators, any form of suspicious behavior from whispering to weakness can set off their warrior instincts. Conflicts such as insults to their honor, injustice, a difference in opinion or a crime can only be resolved through violence. As such, Klingons do not shirk from combat and backing away from such confrontations is seen as a sign of cowardice.
The race's warrior mind means that they prefer matters to be clear-cut with speech as well as manners being blunt - this means that they ignore ambiguous concepts as there should be no misunderstanding. To the Klingon psyche, things are either black or white, good or evil - there is nothing in-between the two. This means that a warrior must declare his intent and say what's on his mind. They do this proudly and look into the eyes of others as not doing so is insulting.
Klingon lifestyle means that all utilities must have a purpose and be worthwhile. Things whose purpose are not immediately apparently are scoffed at and ignored. This has resulted in luxuries or comfort being almost completely ignored by the Klingon people who do not make use of recreation in the form of holo-programs or mattresses. Comfort is not something a warrior takes part in. Even their exercise takes this into account with an element of real danger being present in order to make it worthwhile. This means that rituals must test the strength of a warrior while songs must tell the deeds of great warriors and battles.
Despite all this focus on combat, the teachings of Kahless enforced the concept of honor within Klingon lives which makes it the most important aspect within their society. This means that the total sum of their actions as well as those of their parents are considered. This can be gained through victory and sacrifice or lost through shame and defeat. This means that a Klingon will need to satisfy their honor and avoiding such an action means that they will lose face. Despite this being the case, during war time, the great honor Klingons can achieve is victory which means that they are capable of deceptive actions such as waiting in ambush for their enemies.
Klingon culture was shaped around the following of the K'ajii, the Warrior Path. (ST novel: The Return) This means that every Klingon wants to grow up to be a warrior which has resulted in the prominence of the warrior caste. However, with so many recruits there exists few positions to fill the demand as every individual seeks to gain entry into the best Klingon academy. At graduation, the Klingon petitions his house for warrior status which is a prideful act. However, those that do not reach such positions within their lives are expected to find other means to support themselves as well as their houses through some other lower profession such as being a factory worker, farmer or a merchant.
In addition to this, Klingon society is divided into numerous tiers with the nobility being the highest. These are the lords of the houses whether they are Great or minor ones and possess a great deal of power through the armies as well as lands under their command. Due to their status, they are presumed to be the most honorable of their kind and enjoy a great deal of privilege. The second tier consists of those who seek the warrior's path by admission into the military though this is not a hereditary position as that of the nobility. However, relations to a loyal warrior counts in the applicant's favor. The tier below the warriors consists of accountants, weapon-smiths, nursemaids as well as other second-rate professions which are required to maintain their society. As mentioned earlier, this consists of those Klingons that were refused induction into the military though some decide to follow the family business instead. The second lowest tier consists of the subjugated races within the Klingon Empire who possess a ranking greater then a slave but lower then an actual citizen. At the very bottom of Klingon social structure consists of those who have suffered from discommendation and were banished from the Empire.
Klingon culture was often brutal and extremely violent. Duels to the death over trivial insults were commonplace, and vendettas between various Klingon families could often result in virtual all-out war. In combat, the Klingons were unyielding, refusing to withdraw or retreat even against unwinable odds. Surrender was not an option for a Klingon warrior.
Klingons enjoyed life to the full, each victory in battle was celebrated with great feasts, and even defeats are celebrated in songs and stories. The experience of battle was often as important as a victory.
The loyalties of Klingons were generally first to their family, then to their house, and finally to the Empire. When the goals of the High Council and the goals of their house were in conflict, Klingons would invariably support their family and close allies over their government.
The belief in combat was prevalent in the behavior of all Klingons, influencing the behavior of Klingons. For example, a strike against a fellow warrior with the back of the hand was considered a challenge to the death. Honor was valued, and deceit and deception despised by Klingon; Klingons spoke proudly to one another with a loud voice, hushed whispers were considered insulting, as was standing far away from the person being spoken to. This bold sense of honor was likely the source the Klingons animosity for the Romulans, who were famed for working in the shadows.
In a sense, most Klingons were profoundly selfish, willing to waste the Empire's resources in a futile battle, if it ensures the glorious death they look forward to. This pursuit of honor at the cost of more tangible goals has cost the Empire dearly in the past. Indeed Klingons were somewhat obsessed with combat. Famous warriors were revered the way artists, scientists, or statesmen were on other worlds. Almost the entire Klingon economy was devoted to financing the massive Klingon war machine, and the most influential families maintained their own private armies, to ensure they could engage in warfare even if the government could not. It is thus not surprising that the Empire has clashed with all its neighbors multiple times during its history, nor that civil war breaks out with almost every generation on Qo'noS.
On the subject of fear, the Klingons believed that one must respect their fears and occasionally it can be justified.

Additional Information

Social Structure

"Even half drunk, Klingons are among the best warriors in the galaxy." – The Doctor, 2374

Klingon society was extremely complex. Before its decline in the mid-22nd century and again in the late 23rd century, Klingon society was based on a feudal system organized around traditional Great Houses of noble lineage, to which various parts of the population owed fealty. The Great Houses are traditionally represented in the Klingon High Council, which was led by a Chancellor, replacing the heredity leader of Emperor.
The decline of Klingon culture was demonstrated in the acts of the Klingons themselves. They stopped caring about their weapons to the point that they let them rust and even stopped caring for true honor. Sometime after the augment virus took hold of the Klingon Empire, a new regime took control, turning the Empire into an authoritarian state that kept tabs on all who served. The old ways returned in the latter 23rd and early 24th centuries respectively.
Males traditionally dominated public life in the Empire, assuming the leading roles in politics and the military with only rare exceptions. There were three notable exceptions to the prohibition of women serving on the High Council. In 2257 L'Rell rose to High Chancellor and Dennas served on the High Council. The third instance occurred in 2293 when Azetbur became Chancellor of the High Council after her father, Gorkon, was assassinated . Women traditionally dominated the household and the management of the family's affairs. Klingon women were treated as equals, except in politics and matters of inheritance. Law prohibited them from serving in the High Council and they could not take control of their Houses unless they had the money and no male successors of the lineage. Otherwise, Klingon women were expected to exhibit the same physical prowess and lust for blood and honor as the men.
Klingon society functioned through a system of family reputation and honor. Tradition was an integral part of their lives and breaking from observances was considered a grievous insult to society, an insult not forgotten easily. An offense usually brought shame to the offender's name for several generations. The highest shame was discommendation, an action by the High Council to officially strip a Klingon of his personal or family honor. Bloodlines and relations were also taken very seriously by any "true" Klingon. Lines comprised more than mere family members.
The military was integral to Klingon society, as it provides opportunities for warriors to die in battle. For the same purpose, the Empire often seeks to expand through conquest. Discipline was strictly enforced, by one's superiors and subordinates both; the latter may assassinate his superior and take his place. This gives Humans the false impression that there are no rules, but in fact, this can be done only under certain conditions, dereliction of duty and cowardice among them, and the challenge can be made only to a direct superior.
An integral part of tradition was the various rituals that marked milestones in a Klingon's life or the history of the Empire. Most notable of the rites was the Rite of Succession, which a future leader of the Empire had to complete with a valid Arbiter of Succession (Captain Jean-Luc Picard, in the case of Gowron) overseeing the proceedings. Before the Rite could begin, there was another elaborate ceremony needed to confirm the death of the previous leader. This was known as the Sonchi ceremony. Individual Klingon warriors were expected to go through the Rite of Ascension to be recognized as a full adult. If the house that an individual Klingon belonged to was dissolved or fell into dishonor, he could be adopted into another house through the R'uustai or alternative ceremonies that symbolically marked the joining of kinship and allegiance. The Right of Vengeance, allowed Klingons to seek redress for the deaths of their family members by engaging the one responsible in single combat. The right was so important, that even the discommended could claim it against important political figures, as the discommended Worf was able to challenge Duras (a candidate for the title of Chancellor.
Klingons were extremely territorial. According to the first known Klingon linguist, there was no such thing as an "insignificant corner of Klingon space".

Civilization and Culture

Gender Ideals

Male and female Klingons are considered equals in all way except for politics and inheritance.

Average Technological Level

According to Quark, Klingons achieved warp drive sometime after 1947. By the year 2152, Klingon vessels were capable of warp 6. (DS9: "Little Green Men"; ENT: "Judgment")
As of the early 2150s, Klingon vessels were comparatively advanced. In contrast to their Earth Starfleet counterparts, Klingon ships were equipped with photon torpedos, deflector shields, tractor beam emitters, and had thicker hulls reinforced with a coherent molecular alloy. However, as of 2151, Klingons had no knowledge of holodeck technology.
By 2256, cloaking screens began to be used on Klingon vessels, such as the Sarcophagus, but Starfleet was quickly able to penetrate them. As of 2268, the Klingon D7 class battlecruiser design was used by the Romulans. In 2269, Starfleet assumed at least Cmdr. Kor's IKS Klothos to possess effective cloaking capability against their sensors, a technology thought to be uniquely Romulan the previous year. Kor would later reminisce that, when his ship was equipped with a cloak, it was still a new piece of technology for the Klingons, understood only by a handful of engineers in the Imperial Fleet. By 2285, at least one more Klingon ship was definitely using a cloaking device.

As of 2367, Klingon transporter systems had a range of 20,000 kellicams, which was a common Klingon unit of length measurement as early as 2285.

History

Recorded history begins with the story of the creation of Kortar and his mate, who were recognized as the first Klingons. Together they were responsible for destroying the gods who created them.
Kahless the Unforgettable founded the Klingon Empire some time in the 9th century through the performance of many heroic feats. He unified the Klingon people when he killed the tyrant Molor. Kahless came to be revered in Klingon society to the point of near-deification, and many aspects of Klingon culture came to revolve around an emulation of Kahless' life.
The warrior ethos had been an important aspect of Klingon society since the time of Kahless, but the warrior aspects became much more dominant beginning in the early 22nd century. Over time, the warrior caste gained greater prominence to the point where the Klingons widely came to be regarded as a "warrior race."
The Klingons' relationship with Humans and the Federation was rocky at best. Following the disastrous first contact between the two species during in the Broken Bow Incident, tense rivalries and unavoidable conflicts often developed between the two races. In the year 2154, the Klingons gained access to the genetic material of Human Augments and tried to adapt this genetic engineering to improve themselves. The test subjects did gain increased strength and intelligence, but then, their neural pathways started to degrade and they died in agony. One of the subjects suffered from the Levodian flu, which was modified by the Augment DNA to become a fatal, airborne, mutagenic plague that spread rampantly through the Empire, from world to world. In the first stage of this plague, Klingons lost the ridges on their foreheads and began to look more Human. With the help of a Klingon scientist named Antaak, Dr. Phlox of the Earth starship Enterprise was able, using the DNA of Captain Archer, to formulate a cure that halted the genetic effects of the virus in the first stage. This retained the changes in appearance, along with some minor neural re-ordering. The neural ordering caused changes in the emotional make-up of the Klingons. For example, the infected started to feel fear. Even though the infected did not develop any stage-two characteristics – such as enhanced strength, speed, or endurance – they did not die from it. This left millions of Klingons changed. These alterations were even passed on to their children.
In the 2250s and 2260s, groups of Klingons with and without ridges had been encountered by the Federation. By the 2270s it had become more commonplace to encounter Klingons with forehead ridges than not. Klingons did not discuss the circumstances of this mutation with outsiders and, by the 24th century, the reason for smooth-forehead Klingons was not widely known outside the Empire.
By 2223, relations between the Federation and the Klingon Empire degenerated to a point of relentless hostility, which lasted for several decades.
The lingering tensions between Klingons and Humans continued to rise, eventually leading to the Battle of Donatu V, near Sherman's Planet in 2245 and the Battle of the Binary Stars in 2256, which was provoked by T'Kuvma in order to unite the squabbling Great Houses against the Federation. This resulted in the first Federation-Klingon War, where the Klingon Empire successfully invaded and occupied nearly twenty percent of Federation space.
Later, another conflict erupted into the Federation-Klingon War of 2267. The Organians quickly intervened and ended the war after only four days of fighting. Over the next several decades an uneasy peace developed, broken only by brief but fierce skirmishes and conflicts. A true and lasting peace finally came in 2293, with the signing of the Khitomer Accords, thanks to the efforts of Chancellor Gorkon and the Human Starfleet officer James T. Kirk. Since then, despite several periods of rocky relations (see Federation-Klingon War (2372-73)), the Federation and the Klingon Empire have been steadfast allies, especially in the face of Dominion aggression in the 2370s.
The Klingon relationship with the Romulan people was extremely erratic. The Klingons typically regarded the Romulan Star Empire as a "blood enemy" since at least the 23rd century. Sporadic Romulan attacks against Klingon colonies, such as the Khitomer Massacre, and interference in Klingon affairs, including the Klingon Civil War, continued to sour relations between the two peoples.

Historical Figures

Kahless
T'Kuvma
L'Rell

Common Myths and Legends

Klingon beliefs might be described as polytheistic, in that a number of supernatural figures were recognized. Nevertheless, imperial cults centered on the historic figures of Kahless the Unforgettable or his rival Molor. Charismatic or messianic figures, such as the Kuvah'magh, and T'Kuvma, also had devotees.

Creation

The mythological place of creation was called Qui'Tu.
Gods were said to have forged the heart of the first Klingon, Kortar, out of fire and steel. Seeing his loneliness, they forged a mate for him. Because they were "more trouble than they were worth”, the two Klingons “destroyed the gods who created them and turned the heavens to ashes”. As punishment, Kortar was condemned to helm the Barge of the Dead.
Kortar’s mate was named Shelka. She was "cursed to walk the living world forever. And the two Klingon hearts would never meet again. Forever separated by that which distinguishes life from death."
If Kortar and his mate slew their creators, it is unclear who punished them for their actions. A version of this creation myth was told during the traditional Klingon wedding ceremony. \

Afterlife

Gre'thor

The dishonored dead were ferried across the River of Blood, past the Kos'Karii, aboard the Barge of the Dead. Their destination was Gre'thor, where they would be tortured by a creature known as Fek'lhr.

Sto-vo-kor

The honored dead hoped to arrive in Sto-vo-kor, where they would be greeted by the legendary hero Kahless the Unforgettable and join the Black Fleet.
Should a noble warrior die in a manner that might not merit a place in Sto-vo-kor, such as being assassinated in a surprise attack, he may still earn a place, if others dedicated a great battle to his name, thus showing that he had earned respect among the living.
When going into battle, Klingon warriors often sang the traditional warriors' anthem, which was essentially an invocation to Kahless and a pledge to win a good death in battle.

Cavern of Despair

The Cavern of Despair was the home for those who had died and been forgotten. The dead could not rest in Sto-vo-kor unless the living honored their memories. Consequently, it was a common practice to recite a plea for Kahless to lift family and friends out of the Cavern of Despair.

Burial practices

At least until the 23rd century, some Klingons buried their dead in sarcophagi. However, by the 24th century, many Klingons tended to believe that when a Klingon died, the spirit was considered to have exited the body, leaving behind a worthless shell to be disposed of.
In the Klingon death ritual, it was traditional for those on hand to howl into the sky, as a warning to the afterlife that a Klingon warrior was about to arrive. In some cases, a funeral dirge was sung in memory of the deceased, or friends sat with the body to protect it from predators, a practice known as ak'voh.

Prophecy

The Story of the Promise indicated that Kahless was to reappear in the lava caves on the planet of Boreth.
It was foretold that the discovery of the lost Sword of Kahless would one day unite the Klingon people.
Sacred scrolls foretold the arrival of the Kuvah'magh.

Formal worship

Most Klingons in the 23rd and 24th centuries worshipped Kahless. This was overseen by clerics known as the Followers of Kahless or Guardians.
The Day of Honor was a major Klingon holiday calling for personal reflection. The Kot'baval Festival was an observance commemorating Kahless' defeat of Molor.
A minority of Klingons continued to identify as Followers of Molor, a sworn enemy of Kahless, in the 23rd century.

Lifespan

150+ years

Average Height

6' 2"