Verse:Qu: Difference between revisions

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 Even among the mostly forested tubes, numerous rivers, streams and riverlets carve their way across the landscapes through deep ravines, over waterfalls and into lakes. There are believed to be outlets through which this lake water is recovered to appear in the ukana’s downpours.
+== Flora and Fauna ==
+The species present in Qu are not from any one particular geographic realm on earth. To take birds as an example, the following kinds of birds can all be found in Qu:
+* The Americas: hummingbirds, toucans, macaws, quetzals, tanagers, todies, cock-of-the-rock, manakins, hoatzin
+* Africa: turacos, glossy starlings
+* Asia: peafowl, broadbills, hornbills, pittas, paradise flycatchers
+* Oceania: cockatoos, birds of paradise, bowerbirds, cassowaries
+=== Endemic Species ===
+Many species found in Qu do not appear to correspond exactly to a species found on Earth. Depending on the time since the introduction of various animals, there has doubtless been some level of evolution within Qu, and there are possibly some species in Qu which have become extinct on Earth without leaving any trace.
+Notably absent are any animals larger than a human. The largest animals are cassowaries (probably the dwarf cassowary ''Casuarius bennetti'' or similar), babirusa and capybaras and the largest predators are harpy eagles and a medium sized cat which, from descriptions, is probably a variety of clouded leopard.
+==== The ''alaila'' ====
+One endemic species which is held in high esteem in Goqu culture is the ''alaila'', the “blue cockatoo”. In form, it most closely resembles a large black cockatoo, however its feathers are a brilliant irridescent blue, shifting to green or purple in some lights. When the wings and tail are spread, brilliant red and/or yellow flashes become visible, and when seen flying from below, these appear to let sunlight through like a stained-glass window. It has a bare skin patch on the face which can be changed from yellow to red at will by flushing it with blood and can also be concealed with feathers. The tail is very long and square and, unusually, can be fanned into two halves, giving the appearance of a smaller set of wings or a whale’s tail flukes.
+From all accounts, the ''alaila'' is very intelligent. It can recognise individual humans, solve complex problems and use and create tools, even going so far as to carry sharpened sticks while flying to defend themselves and other flock members from Eagle attacks. An eagle that kills or injures an ''alaila'' will often be followed and attacked by the flock and, as a consequence, eagles seldom bother ''alaila''.
+Aside from the standard cockatoo shrieking, the ''alaila'' makes a huge variety of calls and birds sitting quietly will appear to converse for hours, giving the impression that they have true language. They are gifted mimics and can learn to copy human words and use them in context. Its name, ''alaila'' means 'speaking bird' with good reason.
+It is illegal to harm an ''alaila'' in Qu and no one but the ''Taqu'' (King) may keep them captive. Many of them, however, regularly visit those who feed them and voluntarily enter houses, coming and going as they please. They can even be taught not to defecate or chew on objects inside houses, and many individuals seem to enjoy socialising with humans. It is illegal to pluck feathers from an ''alaila'', but naturally shed feathers are often used as personal adornment and some alaila will present their own shed feathers to people who feed them.
+== Goqu people ==
+Among those who have arrived on Earth from Qu, the native Goqu have been the most studied. All have arrived on Earth with no knowledge of any terrestrial language.
+Researchers of Qu have made considerable efforts in petitioning for documentation and the right to movement for arrived Goqu in order to enable them to live near to one another and have the rights of a citizen in their countries of residence. Currently, the two main groups of identified Goqu on Earth are in Brazil and Germany and many terrestrial people who have lived in Qu have also moved to be closer to these centres.
+Genetically, the Goqu do not appear to be closely related to terrestrial populations although they do share several genetic markers with Melanesian and Polynesian peoples as well as smaller numbers of indicators associated with peoples of India, Arabia and the horn of Africa. Physically, the Goqu are notable for their extreme sexual dimorphism, with the average height among seven studied Goqu men being 196cm and the average height for the four studied women being 159cm. The images below are blended composite photos of the four Goqu women and seven Goqu men who participated in the study.
+{|
+|-
+| [[File:Qu_blended_female.png|300px|thumb|Blended composite of four young Goqu women]] || [[File:Qu_blended_male.png|300px|thumb|centre|Blended composite of four young Goqu men]]
+|}
+== Food ==
+The foods eaten by the Goqu consist mainly of cultivated plants and hunted food. Agriculture is mostly limited to the keeping of small plantations and animals are mainly not kept for food.
+=== Food crops===
+Many tropical food crops are present in Qu such as:
+* avocado
+* banana
+* breadfruit
+* cassava
+* coconut
+* dragonfruit
+* guava
+* jackfruit
+* lychee
+* mango
+* papaya
+* passionfruit
+* pigeon peas
+* pineapple
+* starfruit
+* sweet potato
+* taro
+* yam
+In addition to the above-listed crops, there is also the ''leua'', which appears to be endemic to Qu.
+=== Meat ===
+Commonly hunted meats in Qu include:
+'''Mammals:'''
+* babirusa
+* capybara
+* elephant shrew
+* gibbon
+* possum
+* rat
+* tree kangaroo
+'''Birds:'''
+* cassowary
+* duck
+* pheasants (including peafowl)
+* tinamou
+* miscellaneous small birds
+'''Other vertebrates'''
+* fish
+* snake
+* lizard
+* frog
+'''Invertebrates'''
+* beetle grubs
+* shellfish