Qo'noS
Qo'noS is the Klingon homeworld, pronounced as Kronos. The Klingon High Council, governing body of the Klingon Empire, is situated in the First City on Qo'noS. Early Star Trek literature referred to Qo'noS as "Klinzhai", but the TNG episode Heart of Glory called the planet "Kling". It was the film Star Trek VI which officially established the name as Qo'noS. Qo'noS is depicted as green in color when viewed from orbital space. It includes a lone huge land mass with a vast ocean, a severely tilted axis that causes wild seasonal changes, a turbulent atmosphere and extremes of both warm and frigid weather. Around the 14th century, Qo'noS was invaded by the Hur'q. The planet was first visited by Humans in 2151. In 2293, the nearby moon Praxis, a key energy-production facility for the Klingon Empire, exploded after an accident involving over-mining which sent out a subspace shock wave, causing severe damage to the planet's ozone layer. This event forced planning for the evacuation of the planet and led to the signing of the First of the Khitomer Accords with the Federation. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country). Qo'noS first joined the Federation sometime in some fashion after 2327 and before 2365. (TNG: "Samaritan Snare")
Geographical[edit]
One region on Qo'nos is the Ketha lowlands, which are dominated by agricultural usage and are the birthplace of General Martok. (DS9: "Once More Unto the Breach")
According to the script for TNG: "Sins of the Father", the surface of Qo'noS comprises a single supercontinent and a vast ocean. In addition, the planet has a severely tilted axis which causes wild seasonal changes, a turbulent atmosphere, and extremes of both warm and frigid weather.
Topography[edit]
- Caves of No'Mat- The Caves of No'Mat are lava caves located on the planet Qo'noS. Prolonged exposure to the heat and vapors of these caves together with deep meditation is known to induce hallucinations to Klingons during the Rite of MajQa. When Worf was young, he visited the Caves of No'Mat and had a vision of Kahless. (TNG: "Birthright, Part I", "Rightful Heir")
- Hamar Mountains - The Hamar Mountains are a region on Qo'noS.It is traditional that the Var'Hama candles used in a Klingon wedding are made from targs captured and sacrificed in the Hamar Mountains. Jadzia Dax was unable to travel to the mountains, due to her and Worf's wedding being held earlier than planned. (DS9: "You Are Cordially Invited")
- Sea of Gatan - The Sea of Gatan is a large body of water on the planet Qo'noS.Miral and her daughter B'Elanna Torres once visited the Sea of Gatan while they lived on the Klingon homeworld. Young B'Elanna nearly drowned in the sea, but luckily Miral was able to resuscitate her. As this was B'Elanna's first brush with death, Miral told her about the Klingon afterlife, including stories of Kortar, Gre'thor, and Sto-vo-kor. (VOY: "Barge of the Dead")
- Kang's Summit - Kang's Summit is a area on Qo'noS that is known for its population of sabre bear.In 2371, while hunting sabre bear on the Summit, Martok was captured by the Dominion. (DS9: "In Purgatory's Shadow")It is likely that this location was named for Kang, one of the Klingon Empire's greatest warriors.
- Kri'stak volcano - The Kri'stak volcano is a mountain on Qo'noS.According to legend, Kahless the Unforgettable forged the first bat'leth (the Sword of Kahless) after plunging a lock of his hair into lava from the volcano. (TNG: "Rightful Heir")
- Lake of Lusor - The Lake of Lusor was a body of water located on Qo'noS, the Klingon homeworld, near the Kri'stak volcano.According to Klingon religion, after plunging a lock of his hair into lava from the volcano, Kahless the Unforgettable forged the Sword of Kahless, the first bat'leth, by cooling the sword in the Lake of Lusor. (TNG: "Rightful Heir")
- Skral River - The River Skral is a body of water on Qo'noS. It was the site of a battle between Kahless and Molor.The Skral is mentioned in a Klingon drinking song. The line is "Ejdahk-so- TAS ghos va Skral byteek" ("and the River Skral ran crimson red"). (DS9: "The Way of the Warrior")
Regions[edit]
- Ketha Province - The Ketha Province is an lowland area of farming land on Qo'noS. Chancellor Martok was born in the Lowlands of the Ketha Province. (DS9: "Once More Unto the Breach")
- Ketha lowlands - The Ketha lowlands are a generally impoverished region of Ketha Province on Qo'noS.General Martok's family hails from the Ketha lowlands. (DS9: "Once More Unto the Breach")In 2375, Martok expressed his belief that the High Council would not accept him as Chancellor for being a common man from the lowlands. Worf believed that Martok's reverance by the troops would force the Council to accept him. (DS9: "Tacking Into the Wind")
- Mekro'vak region - The Mekro'vak region is a provincial area on the Klingon homeworld of Qo'noS. It is home to the House of Grilka and many of their lands are held there. Among the people of the Mekro'vak it is customary for a male to bring a leg of lingta to the first courtship dinner with the lady he pursues. (DS9: "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places")
Cities[edit]
- First City (capital) - The First City of the Klingon Imperial Empire was located on Qo'noS and was the location of the Great Hall, where the Klingon High Council met. The city itself is divided into quarters. (TNG: "Sins of the Father")Kahlest was a resident of the Old Quarter. (TNG: "Sins of the Father") The House of Duras resided within the city. (TNG: "Redemption") The House of Kozak had it's ancestral home within the city. (DS9: "The House of Quark") "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places" implies that the Great Hall was located in Qam-Chee, which may be the Klingon name for this city.
- Qam-Chee - Qam-Chee is a city on the Klingon homeworld of Qo'noS. It was there in approximately 1373 that Kahless and the Lady Lukara fought a pitched battle in the city's Great Hall against the soldiers of Molor. While the rest of the city's garrison fled before Molor's 500 soldiers, Kahless and Lukara stood their ground and defeated the forces. Shortly after their victory the two began their great romance, the stuff of Klingon legend. (DS9: "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places")
- Quin'lat - Quin'lat was an ancient city on Qo'noS, the Klingon homeworld. Klingon history tells of a great storm that struck the city centuries ago while Kahless the Unforgettable was there. One man went outside to face the storm, to 'stand before the wind and make it respect [him]." The man was killed. Kahless' clone would later remark, "The wind does not respect the fool." (TNG: "Rightful Heir")
- Tong Vey - Tong Vey is a historic Klingon city in which a group of warriors, after winning a great victory, were ordered by Emperor Sompek to slaughter every last villager and burn the city to the ground. Worf was fond of a holo-program that recreated the Battle of Tong Vey. This came back to haunt him later when Ch'Pok brought it up at his trial. (DS9: "Rules of Engagement")
Landmarks[edit]
- Great Domes of Qo'noS - The Great Domes of Qo'noS were a landmark on the Klingon homeworld.Worf visited the Great Domes in 2355, remarking that when he first laid eyes on them, he felt that he had finally come home. (DS9: "The Sword of Kahless")
Zoological[edit]
- Glob fly - A glob fly is a Klingon fly, half the size of an Earth mosquito with no sting that makes a rather irritating buzzing sound. (TNG: "The Outrageous Okona")
- Grint hound -A Grint hound is a species of dog on Qo'noS.In late 2374, while babysitting Kirayoshi O'Brien, Worf pretended to be a grint hound and chased the toddler around the room. Unfortunately, Kirayoshi did not look where he was going and banged his head against the edge of a table. (DS9: "Time's Orphan")
- Grishnar cat - The grishnar cat is an animal with a fearsome appearance, but in reality quite harmless (at least when it is old and toothless) – possibly native to Qo'noS or another world within Klingon Empire.Prior to attacking Deep Space 9 in 2372, Chancellor Gowron likened Captain Benjamin Sisko's claims of his station's upgraded defenses to a "toothless old grishnar cat", attempting to frighten the Klingons with his roar. (DS9: "The Way of the Warrior")
- Jackal mastiff - The jackal mastiff is a type of Klingon animal used as a type of guard dog. The Klingons used jackal mastiffs to guard the prisoners on the penal colony of Rura Penthe. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country)
- Lingta - Lingta is an animal native to Qo'noS. Klingons consume lingta, particularly in the Mekro'vak region where the leg of lingta is a traditional courtship food. (DS9: "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places")Jake Sisko prepared a lingta roast for his father in 2373. (DS9: "Rapture")
- Klingon Goat - A Klingon goat is a type of animal native to Qo'noS.When Q had lost his powers and was arrested by Worf, he called the security officer a Klingon goat. (TNG: "Deja Q")
- Klingon Octopus - Klingon octopus is a type of aquatic lifeform native to Qo'noS that is commonly served as a food dish. (TNG: "Genesis")
- Pipius - Pipius claw is a traditional Klingon dish. Commander Will Riker sampled a dish of pipius claw when he attempted to acquaint himself with Klingon culture prior to his temporary assignment aboard the IKS Pagh in 2365. (TNG: "A Matter Of Honor") The Pipius appears to be a type of Klingon fowl.
- Sabre bear - The sabre bear is a deadly carnivore native to Qo'noS. It is most dangerous when it is trapped without hope of escape.General Martok was hunting sabre bear on Kang's Summit when he was captured by the Dominion in 2371. (DS9: "In Purgatory's Shadow") Martok would later liken the Maquis' losing struggle against the Cardassians and the Jem'Hadar in 2373 to that of a trapped sabre bear. (DS9: "Blaze of Glory")
- Serpent worm - The serpent worm was a lifeform that served as the main ingredient of gagh, a Klingon delicacy. (TNG: "A Matter Of Honor", DS9: "Sons and Daughters") In 2373, a serpent worm was delivered to Deep Space 9, where the tentacle of a creature grabbed Kira Nerys' hand. (DS9: "A Simple Investigation")
- Sark - The Klingon sark was an animal native to Qo'noS roughly analogous to a Terran horse. Simulations of this animal were on file as holograms in the USS Enterprise-D holodeck. (TNG: "Pen Pals")
- Targ - The targ is a herding animal native to Qo'noS, comparable in form to a Terran boar but with spikes on its back.
- Warrigul - Klingon monster dogs are a type of lizard-dog kept as pets by Klingons.Commander Kruge kept a ferocious monster dog as a pet aboard his Bird-of-Prey. (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock)