The actual idea for this is kind of strange, I was looking up pictures for an avian like raptor, and I came across a type of furry thing. The provocative nature of the picture aside, it was the exact type of raptor I was looking for. So I censored it, gender swapped it, and made a skin based off of it.

The Raae are a peculiar race. From a distance, you would think that it is simply a human that covered themselves in eloquent patterns of paint to mimic the plumage of a tropical bird, but after getting even slightly closer, you will realize that they actually do have eloquent patterns of feathers. An avian species that evolved convergently with humans, the Raae are a nomadic people with intelligence that can match that of a human scholar, and can run faster than the average man, but unfortunately their hollow bones doesn't allow them to fight as easily as humans without risking damage.

Their head begins with a reptile face, but then erupts in bright colorful plumage that tapers from their "forehead" to the end of their tail. The males are born with the most colorful array of feathers, from auburn and red to blue and green. The females are born with a more drab array of browns and tans, but both genders frequently dye their feathers as a show of wealth or personal preference.

Their forelimbs are scaled, like the face, ending in raptor-like claws that can grow to over 3 inches long. The legs are digitigrade, meaning that the legs are made of three sections, not two (the third section actually being the foot, and the "foot" is actually just the toes). Because of this, they usually stand half-crouched. When in this stature, they will usually be about four to five feet tall (two and a half meters). They can, however, stand straight upright to "salute" or show respect. When in this stature, the average may be as tall as seven and a half feet (two and a third metres).

Because of their nomadic lifestyle, the Raae will carry very little on their travels, and would only rarely venture into a cave out of personal preference, as they much would rather prefer to be on the plains or in the trees, under the sky. It is becoming more common for a Raae to join the rooted village lifestyle of a human, as they make themselves out to be excellent merchants, but wherever they live, they always make sure to have either the sun or the moon above them as much as they can.