Rishii

The Rishii were a race of ornithoids native to the Outer Rim planet Rish III.

Biology and appearance
Rishii had an owl-like appearance, with a pair of large wings. At the ends of these wings, they had talon-like hands with opposable thumbs. They were excellent hunters, and would swoop down at very great speeds from cliffs to catch rodents in their lower talons. They possessed a long, thin tail with a tuft of feathers at the tip. Rishii had a talent for mimicking language. They would often copy the voices and movements of other beings, much to the annoyance of the person being copied. The Rishii, however, enjoyed using their talents.

Society and culture
The Rishii were known for their friendly attitude towards outsiders. They lived in the high mountains of their world, while Human and alien colonists lived in the deep valleys. Family groups lived together in open-air nests built on cliffs and perches, and members of the tribe lived and worked together peacefully. They respected members of other tribes who came to visit them, and also the offworlders that colonized the humid lowlands. During Rish III's frosty season, the Rishii relied on energy from exonium stones to help them prepare food. Rishii had little interest in technology, and the items they traded with outsiders they usually used to decorate their nests. However, they were intrigued by what they called "shiny rocks" (spacecraft) which allowed beings without wings to fly. Even when entering combat against advanced foes like the Confederacy of Independent Systems, the Rishii fought using spears and axes, rather than adopting more powerful weaponry.